Commission file number

 

 

 

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.    Yes  ☒    No  ☐

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.    Yes  ☐    No  ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes  ☒    No  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232-405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files.)    Yes  ☒    No  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report.  ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).    Yes  ☐    No  ☒

The aggregate market value of the voting common equity held by non-affiliates of the registrant, computed by reference to the closing price at which the American Depositary Shares were last sold on the New York Stock Exchange, as of the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter (June 30, 2021), was approximately $9.55 billion. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited has no non-voting common equity. For purpose of this calculation only, this amount excludes ordinary shares and American Depositary Shares held by directors and executive officers and by each person who owns or may be deemed to own 10% or more of the registrant’s common equity at June 30, 2021.

As of December 31, 2021, the registrant had 1,103,329,696 ordinary shares outstanding.

Portions of the registrant’s definitive proxy statement for its annual meeting of shareholders to be filed within 120 days after the close of the registrant’s fiscal year are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

 

 

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all references to the “Company,” “we,” “our” and “Teva” refer to Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited and its subsidiaries, and references to “revenues” refer to net revenues. References to “U.S. dollars,” “dollars,” “U.S. $” and “$” are to the lawful currency of the United States of America, and references to “NIS” are to new Israeli shekels. References to “ADS(s)” are to Teva’s American Depositary Share(s). References to “MS” are to multiple sclerosis. Market data, including both sales and share data, is based on information provided by IQVIA, a provider of market research to the pharmaceutical industry (“IQVIA”), unless otherwise stated. References to “R&D” are to Research and Development, references to “IPR&D” are to in-process R&D, references to “S&M” are to Selling and Marketing and references to “G&A” are to General and Administrative. Some amounts in this report may not add up due to rounding. All percentages have been calculated using unrounded amounts. This report on Form 10-K contains many of the trademarks and trade names used by Teva in the United States and internationally to distinguish its products and services. Any third-party trademarks mentioned in this report are the property of their respective owners.

In addition to historical information, this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and the reports and documents incorporated by reference in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are based on management’s current beliefs and expectations and are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown, that could cause our future results, performance or achievements to differ significantly from that expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. You can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “should,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “target,” “may,” “project,” “guidance,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe” and other words and terms of similar meaning and expression in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance. Important factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include risks relating to:

 

 

 

 

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and other factors discussed in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including in the sections captioned “Risk Factors.” Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or other information contained herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. You are cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

 

We are a global pharmaceutical company, committed to helping patients around the world to access affordable medicines and benefit from innovations to improve their health. Our mission is to be a global leader in generics, specialty medicines and biopharmaceuticals, improving the lives of patients.

We operate worldwide, with headquarters in Israel and a significant presence in the United States, Europe and many other markets around the world. Our key strengths include our world-leading generic medicines expertise and portfolio, focused specialty medicines portfolio and global infrastructure and scale.

Teva was incorporated in Israel on February 13, 1944 and is the successor to a number of Israeli corporations, the oldest of which was established in 1901.

We operate our business through three segments: North America, Europe and International Markets. Each business segment manages our entire product portfolio in its region, including generics, specialty and over-the-counter (“OTC”) products. This structure enables strong alignment and integration between operations, commercial regions, R&D and our global marketing and portfolio function, optimizing our product lifecycle across therapeutic areas.

In addition to these three segments, we have other activities, primarily the sale of active pharmaceutical ingredients (“API”) to third parties, certain contract manufacturing services and an out-licensing platform offering a portfolio of products to other pharmaceutical companies through our affiliate Medis.

 

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For information regarding our major customers, see note 19 to our consolidated financial statements.

Below is an overview of our three business segments.

Our North America segment includes the United States and Canada.

We are one of the leading generic pharmaceutical companies in the United States. We market over 550 generic prescription products in more than 1,600 dosage strengths, packaging sizes and forms, including oral solid dosage forms, injectable products, inhaled products, transdermal patches, liquids, ointments and creams. Most of our generic sales in the United States are made to retail drug chains, mail order distributors and wholesalers.

Our wholesale and retail selling efforts are supported by participation in key pharmaceutical conferences as well as focused advertising in professional journals and on leading pharmacy websites. We continue to strengthen consumer awareness of the benefits of generic medicines through partnerships and digital marketing programs.

Our specialty portfolio in North America focuses on three main areas: central nervous system (“CNS”), respiratory and oncology.

Our CNS portfolio includes AJOVY for the preventive treatment of migraine in adults, AUSTEDO for the treatment of neurodegenerative and movement disorders – chorea associated with Huntington’s disease and tardive dyskinesia and COPAXONE, which is still among the leading products for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (“MS”) in North America since it launched nearly 25 years ago. In August 2021, the FDA accepted the new drug application (“NDA”) for risperidone LAI for the treatment of schizophrenia, based on phase 3 data from two pivotal studies.

We are committed to maintaining a leading presence in the respiratory market by delivering a range of medicines for the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (“COPD”), including ProAir, QVAR and our newly launched digital inhaler portfolio.

We maintain a meaningful presence in oncology medicines, including both specialty and generic medicines (including biosimilars). In 2019, we launched Truxima, our first oncology biosimilar product in the United States. BENDEKA is a liquid, low-volume (50 mL) and short-time 10-minute infusion formulation of bendamustine hydrochloride that we licensed from Eagle Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Eagle”).

Anda, our distribution business in the United States, distributes generic, specialty and OTC pharmaceutical products from various third party manufacturers to independent retail pharmacies, pharmacy retail chains, hospitals and physician offices in the United States. Anda is able to compete in the secondary distribution market by maintaining high inventory levels for a broad offering of products, competitive pricing and offering next day delivery throughout the United States.

Our Europe segment includes the European Union, the United Kingdom and certain other European countries.

We are one of the leading generic pharmaceutical companies in Europe. We are among the top three generic pharmaceutical companies in a number of European markets, including some of the largest markets in the European Union. No single country in Europe represents more than 20% of our total European generic revenues, and therefore we are not highly dependent on any single country that could be affected by pricing reforms or changes in regulations and public policy.

 

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Despite their diversity and highly fragmented nature, the European markets share many characteristics that allow us to leverage our pan-European presence and broad portfolio. Global customers are important partners in our generic business and are expanding across Europe, although customer consolidation is lower than in the United States. We are one of a few generic pharmaceutical companies with a pan-European footprint, while most of our competitors focus on a select few markets or business lines.

Our OTC portfolio in Europe includes global brands such as SUDOCREM as well as local and regional brands such as NasenDuo in Germany and FLEGAMINA in Poland.

Our specialty portfolio in Europe focuses on three main areas: CNS (including migraine), respiratory and oncology. Our leading product, COPAXONE, continues to be among the leading products for the treatment of MS, though new treatments are being introduced to various markets in Europe. AJOVY was granted EU marketing authorization in 2019 and, as of December 31, 2021, we have launched AJOVY in most European countries and we are moving forward with plans to launch in other European countries.

Our International Markets segment includes all countries in which we operate other than those in our North America and Europe segments. The International Markets segment includes more than 35 countries, covering a substantial portion of the global pharmaceutical market.

Our key international markets are Japan, Russia and Israel. In Japan, we operate a majority of our business through a business venture with Takeda Pharmaceutical Companies Limited (“Takeda”), in which we own a 51% stake and Takeda owns the remaining 49%. On February 1, 2021, we completed the sale of the majority of the generic and operational assets of our business venture in Japan.

The countries in our International Markets segment include highly regulated, pure generic markets, such as Israel, branded generics oriented markets, such as Russia and certain Latin America markets, and hybrid markets, such as Japan. Each market’s strategy is built upon differentiation and filling the unmet needs of that market. Our integrated sales force enables us to extract synergies across our branded generic, OTC and specialty medicines product offerings and across various channels (e.g., retail, institutional).

Our specialty portfolio in our International Markets segment focuses on three main areas: CNS, respiratory and oncology.

Our product and service portfolio includes generic medicines, biopharmaceuticals, specialty medicines, OTC products, a distribution business, API and contract manufacturing. Each region manages the entire range of products and services offered in its region and our global marketing and portfolio function optimizes our pipeline and product lifecycle across therapeutic areas. In most markets in which we operate, we use an integrated and comprehensive marketing model, offering a broad portfolio of products, including specialty, generic and OTC products.

Generic medicines are the chemical and therapeutic equivalents of originator medicines and are typically more affordable in comparison to the originator’s products. Generics are required to meet similar governmental requirements as their brand-name equivalents, such as those relating to current Good Manufacturing Practices (“cGMP”), manufacturing processes and health authorities’ inspections, and must receive regulatory approval prior to their sale in any given country. Generic medicines may be manufactured and marketed if relevant patents on their brand-name equivalents (and any additional government-mandated market exclusivity periods) have expired or have been challenged or otherwise circumvented.

 

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We develop, manufacture and sell generic medicines in a variety of dosage forms, including tablets, capsules, injectables, inhalants, liquids, transdermal patches, ointments and creams. We offer a broad range of basic chemical entities, as well as specialized product families, such as sterile products, hormones, high-potency drugs and cytotoxic substances, in both parenteral and solid dosage forms. We also offer generic products with medical devices and combination products.

Our generics business has a wide-reaching commercial presence. We have a top three leadership position in many countries, including the United States and some key European markets. We have a robust product portfolio, comprehensive R&D capabilities and product pipeline and a global operational network, which enables us to execute key generic launches to further expand our product pipeline and diversify our revenue stream. We use these capabilities to help overcome price erosion in our generics business.

When considering whether to develop a generic medicine, we take into account a number of factors, including our overall strategy, regional and local patient and customer needs, R&D and manufacturing capabilities, regulatory considerations, commercial factors and the intellectual property landscape. We will challenge patents when appropriate if we believe they are either invalid or would not be infringed by our generic version. We may seek alliances to acquire rights to products we do not have in our portfolio, to share development costs or litigation risks, or to resolve patent and regulatory barriers to entry.

Between 2017 and 2019, we substantially optimized our global generics portfolio, particularly in the United States, through product discontinuation and price adjustments, with a focus on increasing profitability. This resulted in the restructuring and optimization of our manufacturing and supply network, including the closure or divestment of a significant number of manufacturing plants around the world. We are continuing our ongoing efforts regarding network consolidation activities.

In markets such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands and Israel, generic medicines may be substituted by the pharmacist for their brand name equivalent or prescribed by International Nonproprietary Name (“INN”). In these so-called “pure generic” markets, physicians and patients have little control over the choice of generic manufacturer, and consequently generic medicines are not actively marketed or promoted to physicians or consumers. Instead, the relationship between the manufacturer and pharmacy chains and distributors, health funds and other health insurers is critical. Many of these markets have automatic substitution models when generics are available as alternatives to brands. In Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and certain Latin American and European countries, generic medicines are generally sold under brand names alongside the originator brand. These markets are referred to as “branded generic” markets and in certain cases are “out of pocket” markets in which consumers can pay for a particular branded generic medicine (as opposed to government or privately funded medical health insurance), often at the recommendation of their physician. Branded generic products are actively promoted and a sales force is necessary to create and maintain brand awareness. Other markets, such as Germany, Japan, France, Italy and Spain, are hybrid markets with elements of both approaches.

Our position in the generics market is supported by our global R&D function, as well as our API R&D and manufacturing activities, which provide significant vertical integration for our products.

For information about our product launches and pipeline of generic medicines in North America and Europe, see “Item 7—Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Segment Information—North America Segment” and “Item 7—Management’s Discussions and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Segment Information—Europe Segment.”

Biologic medicines are large and complex medicines produced by or made from living cells or organisms, often produced using cutting-edge biotechnological methods. Biosimilars are highly similar to the reference biologic, in both structure and function (e.g., pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, safety, efficacy and immunogenicity) and, for any approved uses, have no clinically meaningful differences from the reference product in terms of safety, purity, and potency.

 

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In November 2019 and February 2020, we launched Truxima (rituximab-abbs), a biosimilar to Rituxan (rituximab), in the United States and in Canada, respectively. It is our first oncology biosimilar product in the United States and is the first rituximab biosimilar to be approved in the United States.

In January 2020 and March 2020, we launched Herzuma (trastuzumab-pkrb), a biosimilar to Herceptin (trastuzumab), in Canada and the United States, respectively.

We have additional biosimilar products in development internally and with our partners that are in various stages of clinical trials and regulatory review worldwide, including phase 3 clinical trials for biosimilars to Prolia (denosumab), Stelara (ustekinumab) and Xolair (omalizumab), a biosimilar to Lucentis (ranibizumab) that is currently under European regulatory review and a biosimilar to Humira (adalimumab) that is currently under U.S. regulatory review.

Our specialty medicines business, which is focused on delivering innovative solutions to patients and providers via medicines, devices and services in key regions and markets around the world, includes our core therapeutic areas of CNS (with a strong emphasis on MS, neurodegenerative disorders, neuropsychiatry, movement disorders and migraine) and respiratory medicines (with a focus on asthma and COPD). We also have specialty products in oncology and selected other areas.

We deploy medical and sales and marketing professionals within specific therapeutic areas who seek to address the needs of patients and healthcare professionals. We tailor our patient support, payer relations and medical affairs activities to the distinct characteristics of each therapeutic area and medicine.

The U.S. market is the most significant market in our specialty business. In Europe and International Markets, we leverage existing synergies between our specialty business and our generics and OTC businesses. Our specialty presence in International Markets is mainly built on our CNS, respiratory and oncology medicines.

We have built specialized “Patient Support Programs” to help patients adhere to their treatments, improve patient outcomes and, in certain markets, to ensure timely delivery of medicines and assist in securing reimbursement. These programs reflect the importance we place on supporting patients and ensuring better medical outcomes for them. Patient Support Programs are currently operated in many countries around the world in multiple therapeutic areas. We believe that it is important to provide a range of services and solutions tailored to meet the needs of patients according to their specific condition and local market requirements. We believe this capability provides an important competitive advantage in the specialty medicines market.

Below is a description of our key specialty products:

 

 

 

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We are committed to maintaining a leading presence in the respiratory market by delivering a range of medicines for the treatment of asthma and COPD. Our portfolio is centered on optimizing respiratory treatment for patients and healthcare providers through the development and commercialization of innovative delivery systems and therapies that help address unmet needs.

The key areas of focus for our respiratory R&D is the development of differentiated respiratory therapies for patients using innovative delivery systems to deliver chemical and biological therapies. Our device strategy is

 

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intended to result in “device consistency,” allowing physicians to choose the device that best matches a patient’s needs both in terms of ease of use and effectiveness of delivery of the prescribed molecule, and includes three main types of devices: (i) Digihaler, which captures and shares objective inhaler use data; (ii) a breath-actuated inhaler (“BAI”) used in QVAR RediHaler; and (iii) RespiClick (U.S.) or Spiromax (EU), a novel inhalation-driven multi-dose dry powder inhaler (“MDPI”).

Our legacy products include ProAir and QVAR:

 

 

 

 

Our Digihaler portfolio consists of ProAir Digihaler, ArmonAir Digihaler and AirDuo Digihaler that capture objective inhaler use data that may help health care professionals and patients make more informed treatment decisions that may improve health outcomes:

 

 

 

Additional products in our respiratory portfolio include:

 

 

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Below is a description of key products in our specialty pipeline:

 

 

Active treatment of patients with fasinumab, which only involved dosing in an optional second-year extension phase of one trial, has been discontinued following a recommendation from the fasinumab program’s Independent Data Monitoring Committee that the program should be terminated, based on available evidence obtained to date. The core efficacy data has already been obtained to support potential fasinumab regulatory filings. Long-term safety data is expected to be discussed with the FDA in 2022.

 

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Currently, all non-essential activities and related expenditures for fasinumab have been put on hold. Next steps will be assessed together with Regeneron, with the intention of discussing data with the FDA.

 

During 2021, development of the following projects was discontinued:

 

 

We have other sources of revenues, primarily the sale of APIs to third parties, certain contract manufacturing services and an out-licensing platform offering a portfolio of products to other pharmaceutical companies through our affiliate Medis.

We produce approximately 350 APIs for our own use and for sale to third parties in many therapeutic areas. APIs used in pharmaceutical products are subject to regulatory oversight by health authorities. We utilize a variety of production technologies, including chemical synthesis, semi-synthetic fermentation, enzymatic synthesis, high potency manufacturing, plant extract technology and peptide synthesis. Our advanced technology and expertise in the field of solid state particle technology enable us to meet specifications for particle size distribution, bulk density, specific surface area and polymorphism, as well as other characteristics.

We provide contract manufacturing services related to products divested in connection with the sale of certain business lines, as well as other miscellaneous items. Our other activities are not included in our North America, Europe and International Markets segments described above.

Our R&D activities span the breadth of our business, including generic medicines (finished goods and API), biosimilars, specialty medicines and OTC medicines.

All of our R&D activities are concentrated under one global group with overall responsibility for generics, biosimilars and specialty, enabling better focus and efficiency.

A strong focus for Teva is the development of new generic medicines. We develop generic products for our North America, Europe and International Markets segments. Our focus is on developing complex formulations with complex technologies, which have higher barriers to entry. Generic R&D activities, which are carried out in development centers located around the world, include product formulation, analytical method development, stability testing, management of bioequivalence, bio-analytical studies, other clinical studies and registration of generic drugs in all of the markets where we operate. We also operate several clinics where most of our bioequivalent studies are performed as well as most of our phase 1 studies for specialty and biosimilar products. We have more than 1,100 generic products in our pre-approved global pipeline, which includes products in all stages of the approval process: pre-submission, post-submission and after tentative approval.

In addition, our generic R&D supports our OTC business in developing OTC products, as well as in overseeing the work performed by contract developers.

Our current R&D capabilities include solid oral dosage forms (such as tablets and capsules), inhalation, semi-solid and liquid formulations (such as ointments and creams), sterile formulations and other dosage forms, and delivery systems, such as matrix systems, special coating systems for sustained release products, orally disintegrating systems, sterile systems, such as vials, syringes, blow-fill-seal systems, long-acting release

 

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injectable, transdermal patches, oral thin film, drug device combinations and nasal delivery systems. In addition, we are in the process of developing multiple AB-rated respiratory programs and devices for our long active injectable pipeline.

We pursue biosimilar pipeline projects in other therapeutic and disease areas that leverage our global R&D and commercial areas of expertise. Biosimilar development activities, such as analytical method development, testing for analytical biosimilarity, pre-clinical work, clinical studies and regulatory strategy, are conducted in Teva’s various global development sites.

Our specialty R&D product pipeline is focused on biologic and select small molecule products. Specialty development activities include preclinical assessment (including toxicology, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and pharmacology studies), clinical development (including pharmacology and the design, execution and analysis of global safety and efficacy trials), as well as regulatory strategy to deliver registration of our pipeline products. We develop novel specialty products in our core therapeutic and disease focus areas. We have neuroscience projects in areas such as migraine, movement disorders/neurodegeneration and neuropsychiatry. Our immunology projects are focused on respiratory medicines and include both novel compounds and delivery systems designed to address unmet patient needs.

Our API R&D division focuses on the development of processes and physical compound characterization for the manufacturing of APIs, including intermediates, synthetic and fermentation products, for both our generic and proprietary drugs. Our facilities in various locations worldwide include two large development centers focusing on synthetic products, three centers with specific expertise specializing in fermentation and semi-synthetic products, a center for oligonucleotides and peptides and centers for high-potency APIs. Our substantial investment in API R&D generates a steady flow of API products, supporting the timely introduction of generic products to market in compliance with increasing regulatory requirements. The API R&D division also seeks methods to continuously reduce API production costs, enabling us to improve our cost structure.

While our focus is on internal growth that leverages our R&D capabilities, we have entered into, and expect to pursue, in-licensing, acquisition and partnership opportunities to supplement and expand our existing specialty and biosimilar pipeline (e.g., the transactions with Alvotech and Modag). In parallel, we evaluate and expand the development scope of our existing R&D pipeline products as well as our existing products for submission in additional markets.

We operate our business globally and believe that our global infrastructure provides us with the following capabilities and advantages:

 

 

 

 

These capabilities provide us with the means to respond on a global scale to a wide range of therapeutic and commercial requirements of patients, customers and healthcare providers.

 

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We operate 40 finished dosage and packaging pharmaceutical plants in 27 countries. These plants manufacture solid dosage forms, sterile injectables, liquids, semi-solids, inhalers, transdermal patches and other medicinal products. In 2021, we produced approximately 76 billion tablets and capsules and approximately 680 million sterile units.

The manufacturing sites located in North America, Europe, Latin America, India and Israel make up the majority of our production capacity.

We use several external contract manufacturers to achieve operational and cost benefits. We continue to strengthen our third party operations unit to strategically work with our supplier base in order to meet cost, supply security and quality targets on a sustainable basis in alignment with our global procurement organization.

Our policy is to maintain multiple supply sources for APIs to appropriately mitigate risk in our supply chain to the extent possible. However, our ability to do so may be limited by regulatory and other requirements.

Between 2017 and 2019, we closed or divested a significant number of manufacturing plants in the United States, Europe, Israel and Japan in connection with a restructuring plan. We are continuing our ongoing efforts to consolidate our manufacturing and supply network.

In general, we purchase our raw materials and supplies required for the production of our products in the open market. For some products, we purchase such raw materials and supplies from one source (the only source available to us) or a single source (the only approved source among many available to us), thereby requiring us to obtain such raw materials and supplies from that particular source. We attempt, if possible, to mitigate our raw material supply risks through inventory management and alternative sourcing strategies.

We source a large portion of our APIs from our own manufacturing facilities. Additional APIs are purchased from suppliers located in Europe, Asia and the United States. We have implemented a supplier audit program to ensure that our suppliers meet our high standards and are able to fulfill the requirements of our global operations.

We currently have 13 API production facilities, producing approximately 350 APIs in various therapeutic areas. Our API intellectual property portfolio includes hundreds of granted patents and pending applications worldwide.

We have expertise in a variety of production technologies, including chemical synthesis, semi-synthetic fermentation, enzymatic synthesis, high-potency manufacturing, plant extract technology, peptides synthesis, vitamin D derivatives synthesis and prostaglandins synthesis. Our advanced technology and expertise in the field of solid state particle technology enable us to meet specifications for particle size distribution, bulk density, specific surface area and polymorphism, as well as other characteristics.

Our API facilities are required to comply with applicable cGMP requirements under U.S., European, Japanese and other applicable quality standards. Our API plants are regularly inspected by the FDA, European agencies and other authorities, as applicable.

We rely on a combination of patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and other proprietary know-how and regulatory exclusivities, as well as contractual protections, to establish and protect our intellectual property

 

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rights. We own or license numerous patents covering our products in the United States and other countries. We have also developed many brand names and own many trademarks covering our products. We consider the overall protection of our intellectual property rights to be of material value and act to protect these rights from infringement. We license or assign certain intellectual property rights to third parties in connection with certain business transactions.

We are committed to business practices that promote socially and environmentally responsible economic growth. During 2021, we continued to make significant progress on our ESG strategy.

On Environment, Health and Safety (“EHS”), among other things, in 2021:

 

 

 

Please see the section entitled “Environmental” from our Teva 2020 ESG Progress Report (which is located on our website) for more detailed information regarding our environmental goals. Nothing on our website, including our 2020 ESG Progress Report or sections thereof, shall be deemed incorporated by reference into this Annual Report or any other filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

We are committed not only to complying with quality requirements but to developing and leveraging quality as a competitive advantage. In 2021, we completed numerous inspections by various regulatory agencies of our finished dosage pharmaceutical and API plants and we actively engaged in discussions with authorities to mitigate drug shortages and participated in several industry-wide task forces. We continue to focus on maintaining a solid and sustainable quality compliance foundation, as well as making quality a priority to foster continuous compliance. We seek to ensure that quality is an embedded part of our corporate culture and is reflected in all of our daily operations, delivering reliable and high quality products.

For information regarding significant regulatory events, see note 15 to our consolidated financial statements.

Sales of generic medicines have benefitted from increasing awareness and acceptance on the part of healthcare insurers and institutions, consumers, physicians and pharmacists around the world. Factors contributing to this increased awareness are the passage of legislation permitting or encouraging generic substitution and the publication by regulatory authorities of lists of equivalent pharmaceuticals, which provide physicians and pharmacists with generic alternatives. In addition, various government agencies and many private managed care or insurance programs encourage the substitution of brand-name pharmaceuticals with generic products as a cost-savings measure in the purchase of, or reimbursement for, prescription pharmaceuticals.

In the United States, we are subject to competition in the generic drug market from domestic and international generic drug manufacturers and brand-name pharmaceutical companies through introduction of

 

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next-generation medicines, authorized generics, existing brand equivalents and manufacturers of therapeutically similar drugs. An increase in FDA approvals for existing generic products is increasing the competition on our base generic products. Price competition from additional generic versions of the same product typically results in margin pressures, which is causing some generics companies to increase focus on portfolio efficiency.

The European market continues to be even more competitive, especially in terms of pricing, higher quality standards, customer service and portfolio relevance. We are one of only a few companies with a pan-European footprint, while most of our European competitors focus on a limited number of selected markets or business lines. Our leadership position in Europe allows us to be a reliable partner to fulfill the needs of patients, physicians, pharmacies, customers and payers.

In our International Markets, our global scale and broad portfolio give us a significant competitive advantage over local competitors, allowing us to optimize our offerings through a combination of high quality medicines and unique go-to-market approaches.

Furthermore, in significant markets such as Japan and Russia, governments have issued or are in process of issuing regulations designed to increase generic penetration. Specifically, in Japan, ongoing regulatory pricing reductions and generic competition to off-patented products have negatively affected our sales in Japan. These conditions result in intense competition in the generic market, with generic companies competing for advantage based on pricing, time to market, reputation and customer service.

The biosimilars market is also highly competitive and continues to evolve as intellectual property protections for biological products continue to expire in the United States. While we believe that our biologics knowledge and experience provide us with competitive advantages, we anticipate significant competition in the biosimilar space. Risks related to commercialization of our prospective biosimilars include the number of competitors, potential for steeper than anticipated price erosion, and intellectual property challenges that may impact timely commercialization. There is also a risk of lower or slower uptake due to various factors that may differ among biosimilars such as competitive practices, physician hesitancy to prescribe biosimilars for certain therapeutic areas, and level of financial incentives (payer or government). We anticipate that the downward pressure on uptake may ease in the future as physicians and payers become increasingly aware of the benefits of biosimilars and more comfortable prescribing them.

Our specialty medicines business faces intense competition from both specialty and generic pharmaceutical companies. The specialty business may continue to be affected by price reforms and changes in the political landscape, following recent public debate in the United States. We believe that our primary competitive advantages include our commercial marketing teams, global R&D capabilities, the body of scientific evidence substantiating the safety and efficacy of our various medicines, our patient-centric solutions, physician and patient experience with our medicines and our medical capabilities, which are tailored to our product offerings, regional and local markets and the needs of our stakeholders.

Our employees are the heart of our Company. In the highly competitive pharmaceutical industry, it is imperative that we attract, develop and retain top talent on an ongoing basis. To do this, we seek to make Teva an inclusive, diverse and safe workplace, with meaningful compensation, benefits and wellness programs, and offering training and leadership development programs that foster career growth.

Our Human Resources and Compensation Committee, Compliance Committee and Board play key roles in overseeing culture and talent at Teva and devote time throughout the year to human capital strategy and

 

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execution in such areas as: inclusion and diversity, Company culture, employee engagement, training and development, recruiting and turnover, leadership development and succession planning. Management regularly updates the Board on internal metrics in these areas.

As of December 31, 2021, Teva’s workforce consisted of 37,537 employees. As a global company, we have employees in 58 countries around the world, representing a wide range of nationalities. In certain countries, we are party to collective bargaining agreements with certain groups of employees.

The following table presents our workforce headcount by employment type:

 

The following table presents our workforce headcount by geographic area (excluding contractors):

 

We monitor our employee turnover on an ongoing basis, as it is an important indicator in connection with our human capital management that informs our understanding of our retention, recruitment and talent engagement. Recently, we have been monitoring our turnover rates even more closely due to the current labor market dynamics and the increased external competition for talent observed globally.

Inclusion and diversity are essential to our ability to innovate and to grow our business. We strive to create and sustain an inclusive and diverse work environment.

Teva’s Position on Inclusion and Diversity outlines our commitment to establishing a comfortable, open environment across all business units, for all employees. We foster an inclusive work environment that allows all people to express themselves and realize their full potential. Our Inclusion and Diversity (“I&D”) framework, governed by our I&D task force, provides a foundation for embedding I&D across our business. We focus on gender pay equity and increase manager awareness by providing relevant training in connection with our annual performance and compensation cycle. In addition, we support recruitment, development and retention of individuals with diverse backgrounds. Our I&D task force monitors and assesses our I&D programs and efforts, using regular surveys and feedback to strengthen and adapt our programs, as needed. We seek to support our inclusive and diverse culture through employee resource groups (“ERGs”), mentoring programs, sponsorship, and training, among other things. For instance, we developed a global mentoring program for women, aimed at advancing women to senior leadership positions. In the U.S., the Teva Employee Resource Group Network represents ten distinct ERGs, which have a key role in creating a culture of inclusion and bringing together

 

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employees with shared characteristics and life experiences. These ERGs foster opportunities for networking, mentoring, collaboration, community outreach, career development, leadership training and cultural exchanges. Currently, our ERGs include groups for women, men, Black Heritage, Latinx, Asian Pacific Americans, Abilities (individuals with disabilities), Veterans, LGBTQ+, Parenting, and MERGE (multigenerational). In Europe, we have developed a mentoring program to foster inclusion across leadership, create a pipeline for employees of different levels and encourage talent diversity. In addition, we provided mandatory training for all employees globally on unconscious bias and include an inclusive leadership module in all Teva leadership development programs.

The following table presents percentage of our global employee population identifying as female and male, as of December 31, 2021:

 

The health, safety and well-being of our employees is critical to our ability to supply medicines to our patients. Our Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability Policy and global Environment Health and Safety Management System guide our employee health and safety practices. We have implemented this system, which often exceeds regulatory requirements, to provide a global standard of care.

We prioritize the safety and well-being of our employees as they face both mental and physical challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our employees have demonstrated great resilience during the pandemic and we continue to provide resources to support their well-being.

At the onset of the pandemic, we quickly established a comprehensive management system to control risks and support employees. Dedicated teams procured personal protective equipment, cleaning and disinfectant agents and other consumables. We reduced the number of employees present in our facilities to enable social distancing by introducing virtual solutions and flexible work arrangements. Operational controls procedures outlined minimum standards for a range of activities, including essential business travel, risk reduction through onsite controls, protection of vulnerable colleagues, information, instruction and training for everyone entering physical sites, visitor and contractor screenings, case reporting and management, and facility cleaning. Those working from home received detailed ergonomic guidelines and were encouraged to use office equipment for their remote setup.

During 2021, in countries where it was safe and appropriate, we took a gradual and cautious approach to returning employees to office locations. Employees generally returned in a hybrid “capsule” approach. A limited number of employees would come to the office on the same set days per week to mitigate exposure and to enable social distancing. In addition, in countries where it was safe and appropriate to return fully to the office, we updated our global remote work policy, for relevant employees, allowing employees to work remotely for up to two days per week, instead of one day per week.

We invest in employee career growth and development at Teva in order to remain competitive in our industry. Our programs also benefit employees individually by providing them with the resources they need to enhance their professional and management abilities, develop leadership skills and achieve their career aspirations.

We maintain a range of learning resources to support employees of all levels in developing skills and contributing to Teva’s strategy, ultimately driving business performance. Much of our employee training is

 

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in-role,

Our Teva Grow program for employees provides development in essential soft skills, success in a global setting and company knowledge. We also provide an extensive catalog of lessons from an online learning platform. For Teva managers, we refreshed our development programs to develop the skills, capabilities and mindset required of managers, taking into account the challenges of a disruptive environment.

To continue our employee training and development during the COVID-19 pandemic, many of our in-person programs have been modified to be virtual. In addition, we equipped our managers with information and tools on effective management in times of disruption and provided employees with online resources to address the challenges of working remotely, including with respect to maintaining their well-being.

We focus on succession planning through global and local talent review processes that identify and accelerate successors’ readiness to fill senior positions across Teva. In order to measure our success at promoting talent from inside our organization, we track the proportion of positions filled with internal candidates and other related statistics.

We provide competitive compensation, health and retirement programs for our employees. We offer variable pay in the form of bonuses and stock-based compensation for eligible employees and have one global annual bonus plan.

Through practical tools and local programs, we address the physical, financial, social and mental health needs of our employees and their families. We offer programs and initiatives that promote healthy diet, physical activity and mental well-being, such as annual medical check-ups and examinations across many markets. For example, our organizations in many countries introduced or expanded employee assistance programs (EAPs) to cover psychological support and counseling for employees and their families. In Europe, we launched a health and well-being program for all employees, sharing new activities and information across the region. The program has five key pillars, comprised of stress management, sleep, relaxation, nutrition and movement.

To understand whether our human capital strategies are effective and are resonating with our employees, and where we can improve, we conduct an annual employee survey. In 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, 86% of our employees completed the survey. In 2021, we saw the same high participation rate of 86%. Results of the survey show that employee engagement levels continue to be high. Employees feel connected with Teva’s mission and values, are confident in Teva’s positive impact on society, and believe they are treated with respect. In addition, they feel they are able to be themselves at work, they are treated fairly regardless of personal background or characteristics, and that Teva promotes a culture of diversity and inclusiveness.

Management reviews the survey results closely to determine areas for improvement and creates action plans to address any gaps. Survey results are communicated to employees though global communications and town halls and shared with our Board of Directors.

Please see the section entitled “Social” from our Teva 2020 ESG Progress Report (which is located on our website) for more detailed information regarding our Human Capital programs and initiatives. Nothing on our website, including our 2020 ESG Progress Report or sections thereof, shall be deemed incorporated by reference into this Annual Report or any other filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

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All pharmaceutical manufacturers selling products in the United States are subject to extensive regulation by the United States federal government, principally by the FDA and the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), and, to a lesser extent, by state and local governments. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”) and other federal and state statutes and regulations govern or influence the development, manufacture, testing, safety, efficacy, labeling, approval, storage, distribution, recordkeeping, advertising, promotion, sale, import and export of our products. Our facilities are periodically inspected by the FDA, which has extensive enforcement powers over the activities of pharmaceutical manufacturers. Noncompliance with applicable requirements may result in fines, criminal penalties, civil injunction against shipment of products, recall and seizure of products, total or partial suspension of production, sale or import of products, refusal of the government to enter into supply contracts or to approve NDAs, ANDAs or BLAs and criminal prosecution by the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”). The FDA also has the authority to deny or revoke approvals of marketing applications and the power to halt the operations of non-complying manufacturers. Any failure to comply with applicable FDA policies and regulations could have a material adverse effect on our operations.

FDA approval is required before any “new drug” (including generic versions of previously approved drugs) may be marketed, including new strengths, dosage forms and formulations of previously approved drugs. Applications for FDA approval must contain information relating to bioequivalence (for generics), safety, toxicity and efficacy (for new drugs), product formulation, raw material suppliers, stability, manufacturing processes, packaging, labeling and quality control. FDA procedures generally require that commercial manufacturing equipment be used to produce test batches for FDA approval. The FDA also requires validation of manufacturing processes so that a company may market new products. The FDA conducts pre-approval and post-approval reviews and plant inspections to implement these requirements.

The federal CSA and its implementing regulations establish a closed system of controlled substance distribution for legitimate handlers. The CSA imposes registration, security, recordkeeping and reporting, storage, manufacturing, distribution, importation and other requirements upon legitimate handlers under the oversight of the DEA. The DEA categorizes controlled substances into one of five schedules—Schedule I, II, III, IV, or V—with varying qualifications for listing in each schedule. Facilities that manufacture, distribute, conduct chemical analysis, import or export any controlled substance must register annually with the DEA. The DEA performs an inspection of all entities requesting a DEA registration prior to issuing a controlled substance registration for review of the facility and material security, material handling procedures, record keeping, and reporting procedures. The DEA also performs cyclical inspections of all DEA registrants to review accountability, record keeping, and security. Failure to maintain compliance with applicable requirements, particularly as manifested in the loss or diversion of controlled substances, can result in enforcement action, such as civil penalties, refusal to renew necessary registrations or the initiation of proceedings to revoke those registrations. In certain circumstances, violations could lead to criminal prosecution.

The Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act (the “Hatch-Waxman Act”) established the procedures for obtaining FDA approval for generic forms of brand-name drugs. This act also provides market exclusivity provisions that can delay the approval of certain NDAs and ANDAs. One such provision allows a five-year period of data exclusivity for NDAs containing new chemical entities and a three-year period of market exclusivity for NDAs (including different dosage forms) containing new clinical trial(s) essential to the approval of the application. The Orphan Drug Act grants seven years of exclusive marketing rights to a specific drug for a specific orphan indication. The term “orphan drug” refers, generally, to a drug that treats a rare disease affecting fewer than 200,000 Americans. Market exclusivity provisions are distinct from patent protections and apply equally to patented and non-patented drug products. Another provision of the Hatch-Waxman Act extends certain

 

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patents for up to five years as compensation for the reduction of effective life of the patent which resulted from time spent in clinical trials and time spent by the FDA reviewing a drug application.

Under the Hatch-Waxman Act, any company submitting an ANDA or an NDA under Section 505(b)(2) of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (i.e., an NDA that, similar to an ANDA, relies, in whole or in part, on FDA’s prior approval of another company’s drug product; also known as a “505(b)(2) application”) must make certain certifications with respect to the patent status of the drug for which it is seeking approval. In the event that such applicant plans to challenge the validity or enforceability of an existing listed patent or asserts that the proposed product does not infringe an existing listed patent, it files a “Paragraph IV” certification. In the case of ANDAs, the Hatch-Waxman Act provides for a potential 180-day period of generic exclusivity for the first company to submit an ANDA with a Paragraph IV certification. This filing triggers a regulatory process in which the FDA is required to delay the final approval of subsequently filed ANDAs containing Paragraph IV certifications until 180 days after the first commercial marketing. For both ANDAs and 505(b)(2) applications, when litigation is brought by the patent holder, in response to this Paragraph IV certification, the FDA generally may not approve the ANDA or 505(b)(2) application until the earlier of 30 months or a court decision finding the patent invalid, not infringed or unenforceable. Submission of an ANDA or a 505(b)(2) application with a Paragraph IV certification can result in protracted and expensive patent litigation.

Products manufactured outside the United States and marketed in the United States are subject to all of the above regulations, as well as to FDA, DEA and U.S. customs regulations at the port of entry. Products marketed outside the United States that are manufactured in the United States are additionally subject to various export statutes and regulations, as well as regulation by the country in which the products are to be sold.

Our products also include biopharmaceutical products that are comparable to brand-name biologics, as well as products that are approved as biosimilar versions of brand-name biological products. While regulations are still being developed by the FDA relating to the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act of 2009, which created a statutory pathway for the approval of biosimilar versions of brand-name biological products and a process to resolve patent disputes, the FDA has issued guidance to provide a roadmap for development of biosimilar products.

In August 2017, the FDA user fee reauthorization legislation, known as the FDA Reauthorization Act of 2017 (“FDARA”) was enacted in the United States. The agreements for pharmaceuticals, biosimilars and medical devices were negotiated with industry representatives over the course of 2016 to establish the amounts regulated companies would pay the FDA to support the product review process at the agency. Various fees must be paid by these manufacturers at different times, such as annually and with the submission of different types of applications. In return for this additional funding, the FDA has entered into agreements with each of the affected industries (known as the “user fee agreements”) that commit the agency to interacting with manufacturers and reviewing applications such as NDAs, ANDAs and BLAs in certain ways, and taking action on those applications at certain times. The agency is obligated to set specific timelines to communicate with companies, meet with company product sponsors during the review process and take action on their applications. On the generics side, FDARA established a new 180-day exclusivity for certain generic drugs that are no longer protected by exclusivity or patents, as well as new programs for enhanced and priority review of certain generic drug applications. On the branded side, this was the sixth agreement between the industry and the FDA. The user fee agreement for biosimilars was reauthorized for the second time as well.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) of 2010 represented the most significant health care reform in the United States in over thirty years. It was passed to require individuals to have health insurance and to control the rate of growth in healthcare spending through, among other things, stronger prevention and wellness measures, increased access to primary care, changes in healthcare delivery systems and the creation of health insurance exchanges. Enrollment in the health insurance exchanges began in October 2013. However, the

 

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individual mandate was subsequently repealed by Congress in the tax reform bill signed into law in December 2017. On June 17, 2021, the Supreme Court dismissed challenges to the constitutionality of the ACA. The current administration has focused on improving the quality and availability of health insurance coverage under the ACA through legislative action.

The ACA requires the pharmaceutical industry to share in the costs of reform by increasing Medicaid rebates, expanding Medicaid rebates to Medicaid managed care programs and funding of pharmaceutical costs for Medicare patients in excess of the prescription drug coverage limit and below the catastrophic coverage threshold. Commencing 2019, pharmaceutical companies are responsible for funding 70% of the patient obligation for branded prescription pharmaceuticals in this gap, or “donut hole.” Additionally, an excise tax was levied against certain branded pharmaceutical products. The tax is specified by statute to be approximately $2.8 billion in 2019 and each year thereafter. The tax is apportioned to qualifying pharmaceutical companies based on an allocation of their governmental programs as a portion of total pharmaceutical government programs.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) administer the Medicaid drug rebate program, in which pharmaceutical manufacturers pay quarterly rebates to each state Medicaid agency. Generally, for generic drugs marketed under ANDAs, manufacturers (including Teva) are required to rebate 13% of the average manufacturer price, and for products marketed under NDAs or BLAs, manufacturers are required to rebate the greater of 23.1% of the average manufacturer price or the difference between such price and the commercial best price during a specified period. An additional rebate for products marketed under ANDAs, NDAs or BLAs is payable if the average manufacturer price increases at a rate higher than inflation and other methodologies apply to new formulations of existing drugs.

Various state Medicaid programs have implemented voluntary supplemental drug rebate programs that may provide states with additional manufacturer rebates in exchange for preferred status on a state’s formulary or for patient populations that are not included in the traditional Medicaid drug benefit coverage. In addition, a number of states, including New York, have enacted legislation that requires entities to pay assessments or taxes on the sale or distribution of opioid medications in order to address the misuse of prescription opioid medications.

In Europe, marketing authorizations for pharmaceutical products may be obtained either through a centralized procedure involving the EMA, a mutual recognition procedure which requires submission of applications in other member states following approval by a so-called reference member state, a decentralized procedure that entails simultaneous submission of applications to chosen member states or occasionally through a local national procedure.

During 2021, we continued to register products in the European Union, primarily using the decentralized procedure (simultaneous submission of applications to chosen member states). We continue to use, on occasion, the mutual recognition and centralized procedures.

The European pharmaceutical industry is highly regulated and much of the legislative and regulatory framework is driven by the European Parliament and the European Commission. This has many benefits, including the potential to harmonize standards across the complex European market, but it also has the potential to create complexities affecting the entire European market.

The medicines regulatory framework of the European Union requires that medicinal products, including generic versions of previously approved products and new strengths, dosage forms and formulations of

 

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previously approved products, receive a marketing authorization before they can be placed on the market in the European Union. Authorizations are granted after a favorable assessment of quality, safety and efficacy by the respective health authorities. In order to obtain authorization, application must be made to the EMA or to the competent authority of the member state concerned. Besides various formal requirements, the application must contain the results of pharmaceutical (physico-chemical, biological or microbiological) tests, pre-clinical (toxicological and pharmacological) tests and clinical trials. All of these tests must have been conducted in accordance with relevant European regulations and must allow the reviewer to evaluate the quality, safety and efficacy of the medicinal product.

In order to control expenditures on pharmaceuticals, most member states of the European Union regulate the pricing of such products and in some cases limit the range of different forms of a drug available for prescription by national health services. These controls can result in considerable price differences among member states.

In addition to patent protection, exclusivity provisions in the European Union may prevent companies from applying for marketing approval for a generic product for eight years (or ten years for orphan medicinal products) from the date of the first marketing authorization of the original product in the European Union. Further, the generic product will be barred from market entry (marketing exclusivity) for a further two years, with the possibility of extending the market exclusivity by one additional year under certain circumstances.

The term of certain pharmaceutical patents may be extended in the European Union by up to five years upon grant of Supplementary Patent Certificates (“SPC”). The purpose of this extension is to increase effective patent life (i.e., the period between grant of a marketing authorization and patent expiry) to 15 years.

Subject to the respective pediatric regulation, the holder of an SPC may obtain a further patent term extension of up to six months under certain conditions. This six-month period cannot be claimed if the license holder claims a one-year extension of the period of marketing exclusivity based on the grounds that a new pediatric indication brings a significant clinical benefit in comparison with other existing therapies.

In July 2019, the SPC Manufacturing Waiver Regulation came into force in the European Union (subject to certain conditions) allowing products manufactured prior to SPC expiry to be exempt from SPC infringement if such products are manufactured for export to non-European Union markets or for launch in the European Union upon expiry of the SPC. This waiver will apply from July 2, 2022 to all SPCs that come into effect after July 1, 2019 or, if the SPC was applied for after July 1, 2019, from the date the SPC comes into effect.

Orphan designated products, which receive, under certain conditions, a blanket period of ten years of market exclusivity, may receive an additional two years of exclusivity instead of an extension of the SPC if the requirements of the pediatric regulation are met.

The legislation also allows for R&D work during the patent term for the purpose of developing and submitting registration dossiers.

In 2016, the United Kingdom conducted a referendum and voted to leave the European Union, also known as “Brexit.” On March 29, 2017, the United Kingdom government invoked Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty to exit the European Union. On January 31, 2020, the United Kingdom left the European Union, and entered a transition period of 11 months. On December 24, 2020, the United Kingdom and European Union agreed on a new Trade and Cooperation Agreement and on December 31, 2020, the United Kingdom formally left the transition period. The Trade and Cooperation Agreement is comprehensive, but does not cover all areas of regulation pertinent to the pharmaceutical industry, so certain complexities remain. We continue to have processes and contingencies in place to minimize their impact, and to maintain our ability to supply medicines to patients in the United Kingdom, and to supply medicines made in the United Kingdom to other markets.

In November 2020 the European Commission published a “Pharmaceutical strategy for Europe,” which sets out a suite of policies that will shape the future European regulatory environment. These wide-ranging policies

 

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represent a multi-year program aimed, through review and revision of existing legislation, to provide a flexible regulatory system that, amongst other things, will lead to accelerated availability of medicines and promote sustainability of that system.

Although not subject to FDA regulation as standalone medical devices, certain of our products are regulated as medical devices in the European Union. In 2017, the European Union adopted the European Union Medical Device Regulation (“EU MDR”), replacing the prior European Union Medical Device Directive (“EU MDD”) framework. The EU MDR specifies new risk classification rules, as well as changes to clinical studies, post-marketing surveillance, device traceability and oversight by notified bodies. The EU MDR became applicable on May 26, 2021. Devices certified under the prior EU MDD regime may continue to be first placed on the market whilst their certificates remain valid provided there are no significant changes in the design or intended purpose; however, any devices placed on the market for the first time after May 27, 2024 must comply in full with EU MDR. From May 27, 2025 all medical devices sold in the European Union must be fully MDR compliant. In the U.K., the EU MDD, as adopted into U.K. law, remains applicable to all medical devices.

In addition to regulations in the United States and Europe, we, and our partners, are subject to a variety of regulations in other jurisdictions governing, among other things, clinical trials and any commercial sales, marketing and distribution of our products. Such regulations may be similar or, in some cases, more stringent than those applicable in the United States and Europe.

Whether or not we, or our partners, obtain FDA approval for a product, we must obtain the requisite approvals from regulatory authorities in foreign countries prior to the commencement of clinical trials or marketing of such product in those countries. The requirements and processes governing the conduct of clinical trials, product licensing, pricing and reimbursement vary from country to country. In addition, we, and our partners, may be subject to foreign laws and regulations and other compliance requirements, including, without limitation, anti-kickback laws, false claims laws and other fraud and abuse laws, as well as laws and regulations requiring transparency of pricing and marketing information and governing the privacy and security of personal information. Several countries in which we market have enacted privacy regulation. In 2021, new privacy legislation took effect in The People Republic of China, South Africa and Belarus. We and our partners are implementing measures as needed to comply with such privacy requirements.

If we, or our partners, fail to comply with applicable foreign regulatory requirements, we may be subject to, among other things, fines, suspension or withdrawal of regulatory approvals, product recalls, seizure of products, operating restrictions and criminal prosecution.

We are subject to various national, regional and local laws of general applicability, such as laws regulating working conditions. We are also subject to country specific data protection laws and regulations applicable to the collection and processing of personal data around the world. In addition, we are subject to various national, regional and local environmental protection laws and regulations, including those governing the emission of material into the environment. We are also subject to various national, regional and local laws regulating how we interact with healthcare professionals and representatives of government that impact our promotional and other commercial activities. Additionally, we may be subject in the future to various new national, regional and local laws and regulations, such as the NIS2 Directive and the EU Data Governance Act, which could impact our business activities.

Data exclusivity provisions exist in many countries around the world and may be introduced in additional countries in the future, although their application is not uniform. In general, these exclusivity provisions prevent

 

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the approval and/or submission of generic drug applications to the health authorities for a fixed period of time following the first approval of the brand-name product in that country. As these exclusivity provisions operate independently of patent exclusivity, they may prevent the submission of generic drug applications for some products even after the patent protection has expired.

As a practical result of the “Schrems II” ruling by the European Court of Justice, which invalidated the adequacy of the EU-US Privacy Shield Certification Programme under the EU General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”), the European Data Protection Board has clarified that companies must verify, on a case-by-case basis, and in collaboration with data importers outside the EEA, whether the law of the importer’s country ensures a level of protection for the personal data that is essentially equivalent to the EEA’s protections. If not, data exporters will need to assess whether they can implement supplementary measures to help ensure the requisite level of protection. As a result, companies are now required to conduct and document comprehensive data transfer assessments before allowing any personal data to flow from the EU to outside the EU under one of the permitted mechanisms of Chapter V of the GDPR, and if supplementary measures cannot address an adequate level of protection, then such transfers shall be restricted. Teva continues to align our data mapping documentation and conduct such data transfer assessments in line with these requirements and to update existing Standard Contractual Clauses allowing for data transfers to align with the new templates released by the European Commission in 2021.

In October 2015, the European Commission adopted regulations providing detailed rules for the safety features appearing on the packaging of medicinal products for human use. This legislation, part of the Falsified Medicines Directive (“FMD”), is intended to prevent counterfeit medicines entering into the supply chain and will allow wholesale distributors and others who supply medicines to the public to verify the authenticity of the medicine at the level of the individual pack. The safety features comprise a unique identifier and a tamper-evident seal on the outer packaging, which are to be applied to certain categories of medicines. FMD is effective as of February 2019. Teva’s packaging sites, distribution centers and contract manufacturing operators (“CMOs”) for the European market comply with this new requirement.

In November 2013, the federal Drug Supply Chain Security Act (the “DSCSA”) became effective in the United States, mandating an industry-wide, national serialization system for pharmaceutical packaging with a ten-year phase-in process. By November 2018, all manufacturers and re-packagers were required to mark each prescription drug package with a unique serialized code. Teva’s packing sites, distribution centers and CMOs for the U.S. market comply with the new requirements. In addition, under the DSCSA, Teva is required by November 2023, to provide to downstream trading partners, serial number specific transaction details. This will require additional modification to the packing sites, distribution centers and CMOs for the U.S. market. Subsequently, in February 2019, the EU enacted the Falsified Medicines Directive (“FMD”), traceability requirements for drug products, which Teva complies with as well. Other countries are following suit with variations of two main requirements: (i) to be able to associate the unit data with the uniquely-identified shipping package, or (ii) to report the data for tracking and tracing of products, reimbursements and other purposes. Certain countries, such as Russia, China, Korea, Turkey, Argentina, Brazil and India (for exported products), already have laws mandating serialization and aggregation and we are working to comply with these requirements. Other countries, including India (domestic market), Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Taiwan, Ukraine and other Latin American countries are currently considering mandating similar requirements.

Our main corporate website address is http://www.tevapharm.com. Copies of our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Annual Report on Form 10-K and Current Reports on Form 8-K filed or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), and any amendments to the foregoing, will be provided without charge to any shareholder submitting a written request to our company secretary at our principal executive offices or by sending an email to TevaIR@tevapharm.com. All of our SEC filings are also available on our website at http://www.tevapharm.com, as soon as reasonably practicable after having been electronically

 

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filed or furnished to the SEC. The SEC maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC at www.sec.gov. The information on our website is not, and will not be deemed, a part of this Report or incorporated into any other filings we make with the SEC. We also file our annual reports and other information with the Israeli Securities Authority through its fair disclosure electronic system called MAGNA. You may review these filings on the website of the MAGNA system operated by the Israeli Securities Authority at www.magna.isa.gov.il or on the website of the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (the “TASE”) at www.tase.co.il.

Our 2021 ESG Progress report, which will provide enhanced ESG disclosures, is expected to be published in May 2022. Information in our ESG Progress Report shall not be deemed incorporated by reference into this Annual Report or any other filing with the SEC.

 

Our business faces significant risks. You should carefully consider all of the information set forth in this Annual Report and in our other filings with the SEC, including the following risk factors which we face and which are faced by our industry. Our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected by any of these risks. This report also contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our results could materially differ from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors including the risks described below and elsewhere in this report and our other SEC filings. For a summary of the risk factors included in this Item 1A and for further details on our forward-looking statements, see “Forward-Looking Statements and Summary of Risk Factors” on page 1.

In 2021, total revenues from sales of our generic medicines in all our business segments were $8,986 million, or 57% of our total revenues. Generic pharmaceuticals are, as a general matter, less profitable than specialty pharmaceuticals, and have faced price erosion in each of our business segments, placing even greater importance on our ability to continually introduce new products. We have become more dependent on sales of our generics medicines and are increasingly subject to market and regulatory factors and other risks affecting generic pharmaceuticals worldwide.

During 2020 and 2021, our business was impacted by increased volatility in demand and fluctuations in overall prescription volumes due in large part to the COVID-19 pandemic. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic may continue in 2022. Due to the volume of our generic portfolio and global nature of our supply chain, we have experienced supply discontinuities due to regulatory actions, labor disturbances and approval delays, which had an impact on our ability to timely meet demand in certain instances. These adverse market forces have a direct impact on our overall performance. Any such COVID-19 related or other disruptions could have a material adverse impact on our business and our results of operation and financial condition.

We also expect to continue to experience significant adverse challenges in the U.S. generics market deriving from limitations on our ability to influence generic medicine pricing in the long term and a decrease in value from future launches and growth. These and other challenges have required us to recognize significant goodwill impairments in past years. If we experience further difficulty in this market, this may continue to adversely affect our revenues and profits from our North America business segment or cause us to recognize one or more goodwill impairments relating to this reporting unit.

 

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A significant portion of our sales are made to relatively few U.S. retail drug chains, wholesalers, managed care purchasing organizations, mail order distributors and hospitals. These customers have undergone significant consolidation and formed various commercial alliances in recent years, which may continue to increase the pricing pressures that we face in the United States. Additionally, the emergence of large buying groups, and the prevalence and influence of managed care organizations and similar institutions, have increased pressure on price, as well as terms and conditions required to do business. Certain of these Group Purchasing Organizations (“GPOs”) have been making aggressive requests for pricing proposals and established commercial alliances resulting in greater bargaining power. Due to such consolidation and subsequent changes in these commercial alliances, there are three large GPOs that account for approximately 80% of generics purchases in the United States. We expect the trend of increased pricing pressures from our customers and price erosion in the U.S. generics market to continue.

The traditional model for distribution of pharmaceutical products is also undergoing disruption as a result of the entry or potential entry of new competitors and significant mergers among key industry participants. For example, in 2020 Amazon.com launched its pharmaceutical distribution business and in November 2020, Mylan and Pfizer’s Upjohn completed a merger of their businesses by forming Viatris Inc. In addition, several major hospital systems in the United States announced a plan to form a nonprofit company that will provide U.S. hospitals with a number of generic drugs. These changes to the traditional supply chain could lead to our customers having increased negotiation leverage and to additional pricing pressure and price erosion.

Our net sales may also be affected by fluctuations in the buying patterns of retail chains, mail order distributors, wholesalers and other trade buyers, whether resulting from seasonality, pricing, wholesaler buying decisions or other factors. Our business was also impacted by increased volatility in demand due in large part to the COVID-19 pandemic and fluctuations in overall market prescription volumes, which may continue in 2022. In addition, since a significant portion of our U.S. revenues is derived from relatively few key customers, any financial difficulties experienced by a single key customer, or any delay in receiving payments from such a customer, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our generic drugs face intense competition. Prices of generic drugs may, and often do, decline, sometimes dramatically, especially as additional generic pharmaceutical companies (including low-cost generic producers based in China and India) receive approvals and enter the market for a given product and competition intensifies. Consequently, our ability to sustain our sales and profitability on any given product over time is affected by the number of companies selling such product, including new market entrants, and the timing of their approvals. The goals established under the Generic Drug User Fee Act, and increased funding of the FDA’s Office of Generic Drugs, have led to more and faster generic approvals, and consequently increased competition for some of our products. The FDA has stated that it has established new steps to enhance competition, promote access and lower drug prices and is approving record-breaking numbers of generic applications. While these FDA improvements are expected to benefit Teva’s generic product pipeline, they will also benefit competitors that seek to launch products in established generic markets where Teva currently offers products.

Furthermore, brand pharmaceutical companies continue to manage products in a challenging environment through marketing agreements with payers, pharmacy benefits managers and generic manufacturers. For example, brand companies often sell or license their own generic versions of their products, either directly or through other generic pharmaceutical companies (so-called “authorized generics”). No significant regulatory approvals are required for authorized generics, and brand companies do not face any other significant barriers to entry into such market. Brand companies may seek to delay introductions of generic equivalents through a variety of commercial and regulatory tactics. Many pharmaceutical companies increasingly have used state and

 

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federal legislative and regulatory means to delay generic (including biosimilar) competition. These efforts have included pursuing new patents for existing products to extend patent protection; selling the brand product as their own generic equivalent (an authorized generic); using the Citizen Petition process to request amendments to FDA standards or otherwise delay generic (or biosimilar) drug approvals; seeking changes to U.S. Pharmacopeia, an organization which publishes industry recognized compendia of drug standards; using the legislative and regulatory process to have drugs reclassified or rescheduled; attaching patent extension amendments to unrelated federal legislation; and entering into agreements with pharmacy benefit management companies to block the dispensing of generic (including biosimilar) products. These actions may increase the costs and risks of our efforts to introduce generic products and may delay or prevent such introduction altogether.

In addition, the U.S. Congress and various state legislatures in the United States have passed, or have proposed passing, legislation that could have an adverse impact on pharmaceutical manufacturers’ ability to (i) settle litigation initiated pursuant to the Hatch-Waxman Act and Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act (“BPCIA”); (ii) secure the full benefit of first-to-file regulatory approval status secured under the Hatch-Waxman Act; and (iii) change the value of the brand products prior to the launch of generic versions. Hatch-Waxman and BPCIA create various pathways for generic drug manufacturers to secure accelerated approvals of their abbreviated new drug applications and abbreviated biologics license applications. The new laws and proposals from the federal and state governments could serve to change, directly and indirectly, the Hatch-Waxman Act and BPCIA, including the incentives to develop generic and biosimilar products, as well as the ability of generic manufacturers to accelerate the launch of their new generic and biosimilar products. They also could impact the ability of brand manufacturers to protect their investments in the intellectual property associated with their branded specialty and innovative biologic products. Teva continues to monitor these legislative developments and advocate for policies that support both innovation and access to high quality medicines for patients.

Although we believe we have one of the most extensive pipelines of generic products in the industry, in recent years we were unable to successfully execute a number of generic launches and these challenges may continue in the foreseeable future. As a result of delays we have experienced in the timing of launches, we may not be able to realize the economic benefits anticipated in connection with our planned launch timing. If we cannot execute timely launches of new products, we may not be able to offset the increasing price erosion on existing products in the United States resulting from pricing pressures and accelerated generics approvals for competing products. Such unsuccessful launches can be caused by many factors, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, delays in regulatory approvals, lack of operational or clinical readiness or patent litigation. Failure or delays to execute launches of new generic products could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our ability to achieve continued growth and profitability through sales of generic pharmaceuticals is dependent on our continued success in challenging patents, developing non-infringing products or developing products with increased complexity to provide opportunities with U.S. market exclusivity or limited competition.

To the extent that we succeed in being the first to market a generic version of a product, and particularly if we are the only company authorized to sell the generic product during the 180-day period of exclusivity in the U.S. market as provided under the Hatch-Waxman Act, our sales, profits and profitability can be substantially increased in the period following the introduction of such product and prior to a competitor’s introduction of a generic product. Even after the exclusivity period ends, there is often continuing benefit from having the first generic product in the market.

 

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However, the number of generic manufacturers targeting significant new generic opportunities with exclusivity under the Hatch-Waxman Act, or which are complex to develop, has increased in recent years. Additionally, many of the smaller generic manufacturers have increased their capabilities, level of sophistication and development resources in recent years. The FDA has also been limiting the availability of exclusivity periods for new products, which reduces the economic benefit from being first-to-file for generic approvals. The failure to maintain our industry-leading performance in the United States on first-to-file opportunities and to develop and commercialize high complexity generic products could adversely affect our sales and profitability.

The 180-day market exclusivity period is triggered by commercial marketing of the generic product. However, the exclusivity period can be forfeited by our failure to obtain tentative or final approval of our product within a specified statutory period or to launch a product following final court decisions that are no longer subject to appeal holding the applicable patents to be invalid, unenforceable or not infringed. The Hatch-Waxman Act also contains other forfeiture provisions that may deprive the first “Paragraph IV” filer of exclusivity if certain conditions are met, some of which may be outside our control. Accordingly, we may face the risk that our exclusivity period is forfeited before we are able to commercialize a product.

We aim to be a global leader in biopharmaceuticals. We are developing a product pipeline and manufacturing capabilities for biosimilar products, which are expected to make up an increasing proportion of the high-value generic opportunities in the coming years. The development, manufacture and commercialization of biopharmaceutical products require specialized expertise and are very costly and subject to complex regulation, which is still evolving. Due to the complex process required to develop biosimilars, obstacles and delays may arise that increase the cost of development or force us to abandon a potential product in which we may have invested substantial amounts of time and resources. We were behind many of our competitors in developing biopharmaceuticals and are making and still require significant investments and collaborations with third parties to benefit from these opportunities. Failure to develop and commercialize biopharmaceuticals could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

We face intense competition to our specialty pharmaceutical products. Many of our competitors are larger and/or have substantially more experience in the development, acquisition and marketing of branded, innovative and consumer-oriented products. They may be able to respond more quickly to new or emerging market preferences or to devote greater resources to the development and marketing of new products and/or technologies than we can. As a result, any products and/or innovations that we develop may become obsolete or noncompetitive before we can recover the expenses incurred in connection with their development. In addition, we must demonstrate the benefits of our products relative to competing products that are often more familiar or otherwise better established to physicians, patients and third-party payers. If competitors introduce new products or new variations on their existing products, our marketed products, even those protected by patents, may be replaced in the marketplace or we may be required to lower our prices. For example:

 

 

 

 

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In addition, our specialty products require much greater use of a direct sales force than does our core generics business. Our ability to realize significant revenues from direct marketing and sales activities depends on our ability to attract and retain qualified sales personnel. Competition for qualified sales personnel is intense. We may also need to enter into co-promotion, contract sales force or other such arrangements with third parties, for example, where our own direct sales force is not large enough or sufficiently well-aligned to achieve maximum market penetration. Any failure to attract or retain qualified sales personnel or to enter into third-party arrangements on favorable terms could prevent us from successfully maintaining current sales levels or commercializing new innovative and specialty products. Furthermore, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ability to promote our new specialty products, primarily AJOVY and AUSTEDO, has been impacted by fewer physician visits by patients and fewer physician interactions with our sales personnel as well as the reluctance of physicians to introduce new medication at a time when access to patients may be restricted.

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Generic equivalents and biosimilars for branded pharmaceutical products are typically sold at lower costs than the branded products. After the introduction of a competing generic product, a significant percentage of the prescriptions previously written for the branded product are often written for the generic version. Legislation enacted in most U.S. states allows or, in some instances, mandates that a pharmacist dispense an available generic equivalent (or interchangeable biosimilar) when filling a prescription for a branded product in the absence of specific instructions from the prescribing physician. Pursuant to the provisions of the Hatch Waxman Act and BPCIA, manufacturers of branded products often bring lawsuits to enforce their patent rights against generic products released prior to the expiration of branded products’ patents, but it is possible for generic manufacturers to offer generic (or biosimilar) products while such litigation is pending. As a result, branded products typically experience a significant loss in revenues following the introduction of a competing generic (or biosimilar) product, even if it is still subject to an existing patent. Our specialty products are or may become subject to competition from generic equivalents because our patent protection expired or may expire soon. In addition, we may not be successful in our efforts to obtain additional patent protection for our specialty products through the development and commercialization of proprietary product improvements and new and enhanced dosage forms.

We must invest significant resources to develop specialty medicines and biosimilars, both through our own efforts and through collaborations with, and in-licensing or acquisition of products from, third parties. We have entered into, and expect to pursue, in-licensing, acquisition and partnership opportunities to supplement and expand our existing specialty and biosimilar pipeline (e.g., the transactions with Regeneron, Alvotech and Modag).

The development of specialty medicines involves processes and expertise different from those used in the development of generic medicines, which increase the risk of failure. For example, the time from discovery to commercial launch of a specialty medicine can be 15 years or more and involves multiple stages, including

 

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intensive preclinical and clinical testing and highly complex, lengthy and expensive approval processes, which vary from country to country. The longer it takes to develop a new product, the less time that remains to recover development costs and generate profits. Specialty medicines currently in development include deutetrabenazine for dyskinesia in cerebral palsy, risperidone LAI for schizophrenia and anle138b for multiple system atrophy (“MSA”).

During each stage, we may encounter obstacles that delay the development process and increase expenses, potentially forcing us to abandon a potential product in which we may have invested substantial amounts of time and resources. These obstacles may include preclinical failures, difficulty enrolling patients in clinical trials, delays in completing formulation and other work needed to support an application for approval, adverse reactions or other safety concerns arising during clinical testing, insufficient clinical trial data to support the safety or efficacy of the product candidate and delays or failure to obtain the required regulatory approvals for the product candidate or the facilities in which it is manufactured. For example, during the second quarter of 2021, the development of fremanezumab for an additional indication was discontinued.

When we enter into partnerships and joint ventures with third parties, such as our collaborations with Regeneron, Alvotech and Modag, we face the risk that some of these third parties may fail to perform their obligations or fail to reach the levels of success that we are relying on to meet our revenue and profit goals. There is a trend in the specialty pharmaceutical industry of seeking to “outsource” drug development by acquiring companies with promising drug candidates and we face substantial competition from historically innovative companies, as well as companies with greater financial resources than us, for such acquisition targets.

Our financial results depend upon our ability to develop and commercialize additional generic, specialty and biosimilar products in a timely manner, particularly in light of the increasing generic competition to COPAXONE, generic and other competition to our respiratory products, such as ProAir, patent challenges to our specialty products, such as AUSTEDO, and impending patent expirations facing certain of our other specialty medicines, such as TREANDA. Commercialization requires that we successfully develop, test and manufacture pharmaceutical products. All of our products must receive regulatory approval and meet (and continue to comply with) regulatory and safety standards; if health or safety concerns arise with respect to a product, we may be forced to withdraw it from the market. Developing and commercializing additional pharmaceutical products is also subject to difficulties relating to the availability, on commercially reasonable terms, of raw materials, including API and other key ingredients; preclusion from commercialization by the proprietary rights of others; the costs of manufacture and commercialization; costly legal actions brought by our competitors that may delay or prevent development or commercialization of a new product; and delays and costs associated with the approval process of the FDA and other U.S. and international regulatory agencies.

The development and commercialization process, particularly with respect to specialty and biosimilar medicines, as well as the complex generic medicines that we increasingly focus on, is both time-consuming and costly, and involves a high degree of business risk. Our products currently under development, including deutetrabenazine for dyskinesia in cerebral palsy, risperidone LAI for schizophrenia and anle138b for MSA, if and when fully developed and tested, may not perform as we expect. Necessary regulatory approvals may not be obtained in a timely manner, if at all, and we may not be able to produce and market such products successfully and profitably. Delays in any part of the process or our inability to obtain regulatory approval of our products could adversely affect our operating results by restricting or delaying our introduction of new products.

The success of our specialty medicines business depends substantially on our ability to obtain patents and to defend our intellectual property rights. If we fail to protect our intellectual property adequately, competitors may

 

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manufacture and market products identical or similar to ours. We have been issued numerous patents covering our specialty medicines, and have filed, and expect to continue to file, patent applications seeking to protect newly developed technologies and products in various countries, including the United States. Currently pending patent applications may not result in issued patents or be approved on a timely basis or at all. Any existing or future patents issued to or licensed by us may not provide us with any competitive advantages for our products or may be challenged or circumvented by competitors or governments.

Efforts to defend the validity of our patents are expensive and time-consuming, and there can be no assurance that such efforts will be successful. Our ability to enforce our patents also depends on the laws of individual countries and each country’s practices regarding the enforcement of intellectual property rights. The loss of patent protection or regulatory exclusivity on specialty medicines could materially impact our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects.

We also rely on trade secrets, unpatented proprietary know-how, trademarks, regulatory exclusivity and continuing technological innovation that we seek to protect, in part by confidentiality agreements with licensees, suppliers, employees and consultants. These measures may not provide adequate protection for our unpatented technology. If these agreements are breached, it is possible that we will not have adequate remedies. Disputes may arise concerning the ownership of intellectual property or the applicability of confidentiality agreements. Furthermore, our trade secrets and proprietary technology may otherwise become known or be independently developed by our competitors or we may not be able to maintain the confidentiality of information relating to such products. If we are unable to adequately protect our technology, trade secrets or proprietary know-how, or enforce our intellectual property rights, our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows could suffer.

Our consolidated debt was $23,043 million at December 31, 2021, compared to $25,919 million at December 31, 2020. If we are unable to meet our debt service obligations and other financial obligations, we could be forced to restructure or refinance our indebtedness and other financial transactions, seek additional debt or equity capital or sell our assets. We might then be unable to obtain such financing or capital or sell our assets on satisfactory terms, if at all. Any refinancing of our indebtedness could be at significantly higher interest rates, incur significant transaction fees or include more restrictive covenants. See “Item 7—Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity” and note 9 to our consolidated financial statements for a detailed discussion of our outstanding indebtedness.

We may have lower-than-anticipated cash flows in the future, which could further reduce our available cash. Although we believe that we will have access to cash sufficient to meet our business objectives and capital needs, this reduced availability of cash could constrain our ability to grow our business. We may have lower-than-anticipated net income in the future. Our revolving credit facility (“RCF”) contains certain covenants, including certain limitations on incurring liens and indebtedness and maintenance of certain financial ratios, including the requirement to maintain compliance with a net debt to EBITDA ratio, which becomes more restrictive over time. Under specified circumstances, including non-compliance with any of the covenants and the unavailability of any waiver, amendment or other modification thereto, we will not be able to borrow under the RCF. Additionally, violations of the covenants, under certain circumstances, would result in an event of default in all borrowings under the RCF and, when greater than a specified threshold amount as set forth in each series of senior notes and sustainability-linked senior notes is outstanding, could lead to an event of default under our senior notes and sustainability-linked senior notes due to cross acceleration provisions.

As of December 31, 2021, we were in compliance with all applicable financial ratios. We continue to take steps to reduce our debt levels and improve profitability to ensure continual compliance with the financial

 

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maintenance covenants. If such covenants will not be met, we believe we will be able to renegotiate and amend the covenants, or refinance the debt with different repayment terms to address such situation as circumstances warrant. Although we have successfully negotiated amendments to our loan agreements in the past, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to amend such agreements on terms satisfactory to us, or at all, if required to maintain compliance in the future. If we experience lower than required earnings and cash flows to continue to maintain compliance and efforts could not be successfully completed on commercially acceptable terms, we may curtail additional planned spending, may divest additional assets in order to generate enough cash to meet our debt requirements and all other financial obligations.

Our substantial net debt could also have other important consequences to our business, including, but not limited to:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additionally, if the COVID-19 pandemic has a significant impact on our business and financial results for an extended period of time, our credit losses, liquidity and cash resources could be negatively impacted. We may be required to draw down funds from our RCF or pursue additional sources of financing to fund our operations, such as secured financing. If we seek secured financing in excess of the limitation in our debt instruments, we may have to secure our current outstanding debt as well. Capital and credit markets have been disrupted by the crisis and foreign exchanges have experienced increased volatility. As a result, access to additional financing may be challenging and is largely dependent upon evolving market conditions and other factors, which could materially impact our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects.

In November 2021, we completed a $5 billion sustainability-linked senior notes offering, using the proceeds to refinance existing debt. We may consider issuing additional debt or equity securities in the future to refinance existing debt or for general corporate purposes, including to fund potential acquisitions or investments. If we issue ordinary equity, convertible preferred equity or convertible debt securities to raise additional funds, our existing shareholders may experience dilution, and the new equity or debt securities may have rights, preferences and privileges senior to those of our existing shareholders. If we incur additional debt, it may increase our leverage relative to our earnings or to our equity capitalization, requiring us to pay additional interest and potentially lowering our credit ratings. We may not be able to market such issuances on favorable terms, or at all, in which case, we may not be able to develop or enhance our products, execute our business plan, take advantage of future opportunities or respond to competitive pressures or unanticipated customer requirements.

Our credit ratings impact the cost and availability of future borrowings and, accordingly, our cost of capital. Our ratings at any time will reflect each rating organization’s then opinion of our financial strength, operating performance and ability to meet our debt obligations. In November 2017, Fitch Ratings Inc. (“Fitch”)

 

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downgraded our rating to non-investment grade, from BBB- to BB, with a negative outlook. On December 6, 2021, Fitch revised our rating outlook to stable, reflecting improved financial flexibility driven by the November 2021 refinancing and a revised forecast of future litigation settlements and restructuring costs. On January 12, 2018, Moody’s Investor Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) downgraded our rating to non-investment grade from Baa3 to Ba2, with a stable outlook. On August 16, 2019, Moody’s revised our rating outlook to negative. On December 15, 2021, Moody’s revised our rating outlook to stable as well, reflecting a reduction in financial leverage since 2019 and consistent use of free cash flow to repay debt. On September 3, 2020, Standard and Poor’s Financial Services LLC (“Standard and Poor’s”) downgraded our rating from BB to BB- due to rising litigation risks, but removed our rating outlook from CreditWatch back to stable, reflecting recent stabilization of our revenue and EBITDA.

The downgrade of our ratings to non-investment grade by Fitch, Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s limits our ability to borrow at interest rates consistent with the interest rates that were available to us prior to such downgrades. This may limit our ability to sell additional debt securities or borrow money in the amounts, at the times or interest rates, or upon the terms and conditions that would have been available to us if our previous credit ratings had been maintained.

The COVID-19 pandemic and responses to curtail the pandemic have negatively impacted the global economy, disrupted global supply chains and created significant volatility and disruption of financial markets. The virus has spread globally, including to countries and regions where we manufacture most of our products and conduct our clinical trials. The potential closure of our facilities or other protectionist measures or restrictions inhibiting our employees’ ability to access our facilities, may materially affect our operations, including potentially interrupting our manufacturing, supply chain, clinical trial and pre-commercial launch activities. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected, and may in the future also affect our employees as well as employees and operations at third-party manufacturers or suppliers that have resulted in and may in the future result in delays or disruptions in manufacturing and supply. The COVID-19 pandemic has also led to a new working environment, which may affect employee wellbeing and engagement, causing stress and fear of returning to work at the office. This in turn may result in lower productivity and motivation among employees.

In 2021, we experienced delays in clinical trials due to slow-downs of recruitment for patient studies. We have also experienced suspended regulatory inspections, raw material supply issues, delays in regulatory approvals of new products due to reduced capacity or re-prioritization of regulatory agencies and delays in pre-commercial launch activities. We may experience further delays if the pandemic continues for an extended period of time. Though availability of vaccines and reopening of economies has improved the outlook for recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic’s impacts, the impact of the Delta or Omicron variants or other new, more contagious or lethal variants that may emerge, the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines against the Delta or Omicron variants or such other variants and the related responses by governments, including reinstated government-imposed lockdowns or other measures, cannot be predicted at this time. Both the health and economic aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic remain highly fluid and the future course of each is uncertain. During 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic continued to have an impact on markets and on customer stocking and purchasing patterns. While we expect to be able to continue our operations and to satisfy the demand for our products, while protecting the health and safety of our employees and customers, the uncertainty surrounding the full economic implications of the pandemic may result in business disruption and it is possible that we will continue to see variable demand in future periods. Any COVID-19 related disruption could have a material adverse impact on our business and our results of operation and financial condition. Changes in patient behavior resulting in fewer visits to physicians and medical facilities, or increased layoffs in the U.S. employment market,

 

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which affects healthcare benefits coverage, have caused a decline or slower growth in the number of patients diagnosed with diseases for which we produce treatments. In addition, the ability to promote certain specialty products has been impacted by fewer physician visits by patients and fewer physician interactions by our sales personnel. If these trends continue or worsen, our revenues could be adversely affected. In addition, a recession or market correction resulting from the spread of COVID-19 could materially affect our business, the value of our shares and our access to the capital and credit markets including our liquidity and cash resources. The new working environment, with many employees working remotely, has increased the exposure of many companies to cyber-attacks, including us, and data security breaches. If such breach were to occur, it may have a material adverse effect on our business, operations and reputation.

We have taken precautionary measures, and may take additional measures, intended to minimize the risks of the COVID-19 pandemic to our employees and operations. The extent of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our operational and financial performance, including our ability to execute our business strategies in the expected time frame or at all, will depend on future developments, such as the duration and spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and long-term impact on the world’s economy, all of which are uncertain and cannot be predicted.

We may face wrongful termination, discrimination or other legal claims from employees affected by ongoing changes in our workforce. We may incur substantial costs defending against such claims, regardless of their merits, and such claims may significantly increase our severance costs. Additionally, we may see variances in the estimated severance costs depending on the category of employees and locations in which severance is incurred.

Upon the proposed divestiture of any facility in connection with our ongoing plant optimization, we may not be able to divest such facility at a favorable price or in a timely manner. Any divestiture that we are unable to complete may cause additional costs associated with retaining the facility or closing and disposing of the impacted businesses.

Any workforce reduction and site consolidation may result in the loss of numerous long-term employees, the loss of institutional knowledge and expertise, the reallocation of certain job responsibilities and the disruption of business continuity, all of which could negatively affect operational efficiencies and our ability to achieve growth and profitability through the development and sale of new pharmaceutical products.

We cannot guarantee that, following such efficiency measures, our business will be more efficient or effective.

Given the size, complexity and global reach of our business and our multiple areas of focus, we are especially reliant upon our ability to recruit and retain highly qualified management and other key employees. Our ability to attract and retain such employees may be diminished by the financial, legal and regulatory challenges we have faced in recent years, the increased importance of corporate ESG initiatives and their reputational impact as well as increased competition for talent. In addition, the success of our R&D activity depends on our ability to attract and retain sufficient numbers of skilled scientific personnel, which may be limited due to our R&D spending and programs. Any difficulty in recruiting, hiring, retaining and motivating talented and skilled members of our organization may delay or prevent the achievement of major business objectives.

 

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As a pharmaceutical company, we are subject to substantial regulation by various governmental authorities. For instance, we must comply with requirements of the FDA, EMA and other healthcare regulators with respect to the manufacture, labeling, sale, distribution, marketing, advertising, promotion and development of pharmaceutical products. Failure to strictly and promptly comply with these regulations and requirements may damage our reputation and lead to financial penalties, compliance expenditures associated with remediation efforts, the recall or seizure of products, total or partial suspension of production and/or distribution, suspension of the applicable regulator’s review of our submissions, enforcement actions, injunctions and criminal prosecution.

We must register our facilities, whether located in the United States or elsewhere, with the FDA for products sold in the United States, and with other regulators outside the United States for products sold outside of the United States. Our products must be produced in a manner consistent with cGMP, or similar quality and compliance standards in each territory in which we manufacture. In addition, the FDA and other agencies periodically inspect our manufacturing facilities. Following an inspection, an agency may issue a notice listing conditions that are believed to violate cGMP or other regulations, or take other regulatory action, including issuing a warning letter for violations of “regulatory significance” that may result in enforcement action if not promptly and adequately corrected.

In recent years, regulatory agencies around the world have increased their scrutiny of pharmaceutical manufacturers. This has resulted in requests for product recalls, temporary plant shutdowns to address specific issues and other remedial actions. Our manufacturing facilities, as well as those of our vendors and manufacturing partners, have also been the subject of increased regulatory oversight, leading to increased expenditures required to ensure compliance with new or more stringent production and quality control regulations. For information regarding significant regulatory events, see note 15 to our consolidated financial statements.

These regulatory actions also adversely affected our ability to supply various products around the world and to obtain approvals for new products manufactured at the affected facilities. If any regulatory body were to require one or more of our significant manufacturing facilities to cease or limit production, or to halt the approval of new or pending regulatory applications, our business and reputation could be adversely affected. In addition, because regulatory approval to manufacture a drug is site-specific, the delay and cost of remedial actions or obtaining approval to manufacture at a specific facility could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our products are either manufactured at our own facilities or obtained through supply agreements with third parties. Many of our products are the result of complex manufacturing processes, and some require highly specialized raw materials. Problems may arise during manufacturing for a variety of reasons, including equipment malfunction, failure to follow specific protocols and procedures, problems with or shortages of raw materials, natural disasters, and environmental factors. For some of our key raw materials, we have only a single, source of supply, and alternate sources of supply may not be readily available. If our supply of certain raw materials or finished products is interrupted from time to time, or proves insufficient to meet demand, our cash flows and results of operations could be adversely impacted. Additionally, any such supply interruption could result in a supply shortage to patients depending on the number of competitors able to meet the supply needs. Moreover, the streamlining of our manufacturing network may result in our product supply becoming more dependent on a smaller number of specific manufacturing plants. Our inability to timely manufacture any of our key products may result in claims and penalties from customers and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations as well as result in reputational harm.

 

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In recent years, medicine shortages have become an increasingly widespread problem around the world. We are working diligently across our supply chain to ensure continuous and stable supply. Many European countries are implementing legal and regulatory measures, such as mandatory stockpiling and high penalties in order to prevent supply disruptions. Such measures may lead to substantial monetary losses in case we experience long-term supply disruptions in the relevant territories.

We also rely on complex shipping arrangements to and from the various facilities of our supply chain. Customs clearance and shipping by land, air or sea routes rely on and may be affected by factors that are not in our full control or are hard to predict.

A significant portion of our costs is comprised of raw materials for our products as well as energy, transportation and labor costs for our manufacturing and operations. We have experienced increases in prices of raw materials, energy, labor and transportation. To the extent that we cannot pass along such increased costs to our customers, our results of operations and financial condition will be adversely affected.

In addition, we rely on complex information technology systems, including Internet-based systems, to support our supply-chain processes as well as internal and external communications. The size and complexity of our systems make them potentially vulnerable to breakdown or interruption, whether due to computer viruses, lack of system upgrades or other causes that may result in the loss of key information or the impairment of production and other supply chain processes. Such disruptions and breaches of security could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operation.

We rely extensively on information technology systems in order to conduct business, including some systems that are managed by third-party service providers. These systems include, but are not limited to, programs and processes relating to internal and external communications, ordering and managing materials from suppliers, converting materials to finished products, shipping products to customers, processing transactions, summarizing and reporting results of operations, and complying with regulatory, legal or tax requirements. These information technology systems could be damaged or cease to function properly due to the poor performance or failure of third-party service providers, catastrophic events, power outages, network outages, failed upgrades or other similar events. If our business continuity plans do not effectively resolve such issues on a timely basis, we may suffer significant interruptions in conducting our business, which may adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Furthermore, our systems and networks have been, and are expected to continue to be, the target of advanced cyber-attacks which may pose a risk to the security of our systems and the confidentiality, availability and integrity of our data, as well as disrupt our operations or damage our facilities or those of third parties. As cybersecurity threats rapidly evolve in sophistication and become more prevalent, we are continually increasing our attention to these threats. We assess potential threats and vulnerabilities and make investments seeking to address them, including ongoing monitoring and updating of networks and systems, increasing specialized information security skills, deploying employee security training and updating our security policies. However, because the techniques, tools and tactics used in cyber-attacks frequently change and may be difficult to detect for periods of time, we may face difficulties in anticipating and implementing adequate preventative measures or fully mitigating harms after such an attack. In addition, hardware, software or applications we develop or procure from third parties may contain defects in design or manufacture or other problems that could unexpectedly compromise information security. We outsource administration of certain functions to vendors that could be targets of cyber-attacks. Any theft, loss and/or fraudulent use of customer, employee or proprietary data as a result of a cyber-attack targeting us or one of our third-party service providers could subject us to significant litigation, liability and costs, as well as adversely impact our reputation with customers and regulators, among others. A significant cyber-attack on our information technology systems may lead to substantial interruptions in our business, legal claims and liability, regulatory investigations and penalties, and reputational damage, which

 

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could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. While we maintain insurance coverage that is designed to address certain aspects of cyber risks, such insurance coverage may be insufficient to cover all losses or all types of claims that may arise in the event we experience a cybersecurity incident, data security breach or disruption, unauthorized access or failure of systems.

In the ordinary course of our business, we collect and store sensitive data in our data centers and on our networks, including intellectual property, proprietary business information and personally identifiable information (including of our employees and of our customers, suppliers and business partners). We are subject to laws and regulations governing the collection, use and transmission of personal information, including health information. As the legislative and regulatory landscape for data privacy and protection continues to evolve around the world, there has been an increasing focus on privacy and data protection issues that may affect our business, including the U.S.’s federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as amended (“HIPAA”), the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”), California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) and other laws and regulations including across our International Markets governing the collection, use, disclosure and transmission of data in other jurisdictions. Although Teva is not currently HIPAA-regulated, certain Teva entities may be in the future, and, we do business with customers who are HIPAA-regulated. Increased focus on compliance with HIPAA and state laws that govern the privacy and security of medical data may impact our business.

HIPAA mandates the adoption of specific standards for electronic transactions and code sets that are used to transmit certain types of health information. To protect the information transmitted using the mandated standards and the patient information used in the daily operations of a covered entity, HIPAA also sets forth federal rules protecting the privacy and security of protected health information (“PHI”). The law provides both criminal and civil fines and penalties for covered entities that fail to comply with HIPAA. Under HIPAA, covered entities must establish administrative, physical and technical safeguards to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of electronic PHI maintained or transmitted by them or by others on their behalf. We believe that the covered entities we engage are in material compliance with the privacy, security and National Provider Identifier requirements of HIPAA and state laws that regulate the privacy and security of medical data.

The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (“HITECH”) Act imposed certain of the HIPAA privacy and security requirements directly upon business associates of covered entities and significantly increased the monetary penalties for violations of HIPAA. Regulations also require business associates to notify covered entities, who in turn must notify affected individuals and government authorities, of data security breaches involving unsecured PHI. Since the passage of the HITECH Act, enforcement of HIPAA violations has increased.

We have procedures in place to detect and respond to data security incidents. If our efforts to protect the security of personally identifiable information or other sensitive data are unsuccessful, a significant data security breach may result in costly government enforcement actions, for example under the GDPR, private litigation, negative publicity or a reduction in supply of essential medicines to the public, each of which could further result in reputation or brand damage with customers, and our business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects could suffer.

We are subject to intellectual property laws in all countries where we have manufacturing facilities. Modifications of such laws or court decisions regarding such laws may adversely affect us and may impact our ability to produce and export products manufactured in any such country in a timely fashion. Additionally, the existence of third-party patents in such countries, with the attendant risk of litigation, may cause us to move

 

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production to a different country (potentially leading to significant production delays) or otherwise adversely affect our ability to export certain products from such countries.

We are a global pharmaceutical company with worldwide operations. Although a majority of our sales in 2021 were in the United States and Western Europe, an increasing portion of our sales and operational network are located in other regions, such as Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe and Asia, which may be more susceptible to political and economic instability that could result in a loss of sales in such regions, including in Russia and the Ukraine. Other countries and regions, such as the United States and Western Europe, also face potential instability due to political and other developments. In addition, in the United States, the executive administration has discussed, and in some cases implemented, changes with respect to certain trade policies, tariffs and other government regulations affecting trade between the United States and other countries. As a company that manufactures most of its products outside the United States, a “border adjustment tax” or other restriction on trade, if enacted, may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, given that a significant portion of our business is conducted in the European Union and the U.K., the formal change in the relationship between the U.K. and the European Union caused by the U.K. referendum to leave the European Union, referred to as “Brexit,” may pose certain implications to our research, commercial and general business operations in the U.K. and the European Union, including the approval and supply of our products. On December 24, 2020, the United Kingdom and European Union agreed on a new Trade and Cooperation Agreement and on December 31, 2020, the United Kingdom formally left the transition period. The Trade and Cooperation Agreement is comprehensive, but does not cover all areas of regulation pertinent to the pharmaceutical industry, so certain complexities remain. This finalization of the long-term relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union will dictate how both jurisdictions will be impacted and may result in an impact on our business operations in Europe.

Significant portions of our operations are conducted outside the markets in which our products are sold, and accordingly we often import a substantial number of products into such markets. We may, therefore, be denied access to our customers or suppliers or denied the ability to ship products from any of our sites as a result of a closing of the borders of the countries in which we sell our products, or in which our operations are located, due to economic, legislative, political and military conditions, including hostilities and acts of terror, in such countries. In addition, certain countries have put regulations in place requiring local manufacturing of goods, while foreign-made products are subject to pricing penalties or even bans from participation in public procurement auctions.

We face additional risks inherent in conducting business internationally, including compliance with laws and regulations of many jurisdictions that apply to our international operations. These laws and regulations include data privacy requirements, labor relations laws, tax laws, competition regulations, import and trade restrictions, economic sanctions, export requirements, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”), the UK Bribery Act 2010 and other local laws that prohibit corrupt payments to governmental officials or certain payments or remunerations to customers. Given the high level of complexity of these laws, there is a risk that some provisions may be breached by us, for example through fraudulent or negligent behavior of individual employees (or third parties acting on our behalf), our failure to comply with certain formal documentation requirements, or otherwise. Actions by our employees, or by third-party intermediaries acting on our behalf, in violation of such laws, whether carried out in the United States or elsewhere in connection with the conduct of our business have exposed us, and may further expose us, to significant liability for violations of the FCPA or other anti-corruption laws. In 2016, we paid a monetary fine for FCPA violations and entered into a three year deferred prosecution agreement with the DOJ, which included retaining an independent compliance monitor. Violations of these laws and regulations could result in fines, criminal sanctions against us, our officers or our employees, requirements to obtain export licenses, cessation of business activities in sanctioned countries,

 

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implementation of compliance programs and prohibitions on the conduct of our business. Any such violation could include prohibitions on our ability to offer our products in one or more countries and could materially damage our reputation, our brand, our ability to attract and retain employees, our business, our financial condition and our results of operations.

Our corporate headquarters and a sizable portion of our manufacturing activities are located in Israel. Our Israeli operations are dependent upon materials imported from outside Israel. Accordingly, our operations could be materially and adversely affected by acts of terrorism or if major hostilities were to occur in the Middle East or trade between Israel and its present trading partners were materially impaired, including as a result of acts of terrorism in the United States or elsewhere.

We are subject to extensive regulation by the FDA and various other U.S. federal and state authorities, the EMA and other foreign regulatory authorities. The process of obtaining regulatory approvals to market a drug or medical device can be costly and time-consuming, and approvals might not be granted for future products, or additional indications or uses of existing products, on a timely basis, if at all. Delays in the receipt of, or failure to obtain approvals for, future products, or new indications and uses, could result in delayed realization of product revenues, reduction in revenues and substantial additional costs. For example, in the last three years, we experienced delays in obtaining anticipated approvals for various generic and specialty products, and during 2020 and 2021 the COVID-19 pandemic caused some delays in approvals due to travel and work restrictions. We may continue to experience similar delays.

In addition, no assurance can be given that we will remain in compliance with applicable FDA and other regulatory requirements once approval or marketing authorization has been obtained for a product. These requirements include, among other things, regulations regarding manufacturing practices, product labeling, and advertising and post marketing reporting, including adverse event reports and field alerts due to manufacturing quality concerns. Our facilities are subject to ongoing regulation, including periodic inspection by the FDA and other regulatory authorities, and we must incur expense and expend effort to ensure compliance with these complex regulations. In addition, we are subject to regulations in various jurisdictions, including the Federal Drug Supply Chain Security Act in the U.S., the Falsified Medicines Directive in the European Union and many other such regulations in other countries that require us to develop electronic systems to serialize, track, trace and authenticate units of our products through the supply chain and distribution system. Compliance with these regulations may result in increased expenses for us or impose greater administrative burdens on our organization, and failure to meet these requirements could result in fines or other penalties.

Failure to comply with all applicable regulatory requirements may subject us to operating restrictions and criminal prosecution, monetary penalties and other disciplinary actions, including, sanctions, warning letters, product seizures, recalls, fines, injunctions, suspension, shutdown of production, revocation of approvals or the inability to obtain future approvals, or exclusion from future participation in government healthcare programs. Any of these events could disrupt our business and have a material adverse effect on our revenues, profitability and financial condition.

The continuing increase in expenditures for healthcare has been the subject of considerable government attention almost everywhere we conduct business. Private health insurers and government health authorities continue to seek ways to reduce or contain healthcare costs, including by reducing or eliminating coverage for certain products and lowering reimbursement levels. The focus on reducing or containing healthcare costs has been fueled by controversies, political debate and publicity about prices for pharmaceutical products that some

 

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consider excessive, including Congressional and other inquiries into drug pricing, including with respect to our specialty medicines, which could have a material adverse effect on our reputation. In most of the countries and regions where we operate, including the United States, Western Europe, Israel, Russia, Japan, certain countries in Central and Eastern Europe and several countries in Latin America, pharmaceutical prices are subject to new government policies designed to reduce healthcare costs, and may be subject to additional regulatory efforts, funding restrictions, legislative proposals, policy interpretations, investigations and legal proceedings regarding pricing practices. These changes frequently adversely affect pricing and profitability and may cause delays in market entry. Certain U.S. states have implemented or are considering, pharmaceutical price controls or patient access constraints under the Medicaid program, and some jurisdictions have implemented or are considering price-control regimes that would apply to broader segments of their populations that are not Medicaid-eligible. Private third-party payers, such as health plans, increasingly challenge pharmaceutical product pricing, which could result in lower prices, lower reimbursement rates and a reduction in demand for our products. We cannot predict which additional measures may be adopted or the impact of current and additional measures on the marketing, pricing and demand for our products, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Significant developments that may adversely affect pricing in the United States include proposed drug pricing and Medicare reforms by Congress and regulatory changes to Medicare Part B (physician administered drugs) and Medicare Part D (prescription drug benefit), additional changes to the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) under the Biden Administration and trends in the practices of managed care groups and institutional and governmental purchasers, including consolidation of our customers. In particular, additional pressure to reduce health care costs in states is critical as the COVID-19 pandemic strained state healthcare budgets and swelled Medicaid enrollment due to economic downturns and job loss as well as additional federal support for state Medicaid programs. Many new Medicaid recipients were previously covered under employer-sponsored plans.

The pharmaceutical industry faces uncertainty regarding the continuation of Medicare’s current drug pricing methodology. For example, on November 27, 2020 the CMS published an Interim Final Rule (“IFR”) that would have imposed a mandatory Most Favored Nation (“MFN”) pricing model on the fifty single-source drugs and biologics (including biosimilars) with the highest annual Medicare Part B spending for seven years, beginning January 1, 2021. The MFN model would have ultimately based payment for each of the fifty drugs on the lowest-available, gross domestic product (“GDP”)-adjusted drug price available in any Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development country that meets minimum GDP requirements. Pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry organizations as well as several patient support groups filed litigation to enjoin implementation of the IFR. On December 28, 2020, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California imposed a nationwide preliminary injunction on implementation of the IFR pending CMS’s completion of regulatory notice-and-comment rulemaking by CMS. On December 29, 2021, CMS published a final rule that rescinds the IFR, effective February 28, 2022, to address the procedural issues acknowledged in the preliminary injunction. Although the IFR as published will not go into effect, CMS could propose future pharmaceutical pricing changes similar to the IFR, albeit with the required notice and opportunity for stakeholders to participate in the regulatory process.

On November 19, 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Build Back Better Act, which includes several provisions aimed at lowering prescription drug costs and reducing spending by the federal government and private payers by, among other things, allowing the U.S. federal government to negotiate prices for certain high-cost drugs covered under Medicare, imposing rebates on manufacturers of single-source drugs and biologics covered by Medicare Part B and nearly all drugs covered under Part D, if drug prices increase faster than the rate of inflation, based on the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (“CPI-U”). We are actively monitoring legislative developments to understand the likelihood of enactment and how such legislation would impact our business and operations, if enacted.

Increased purchasing power of entities that negotiate on behalf of Medicare, Medicaid, and private sector beneficiaries may result in increased pricing pressure by influencing the reimbursement policies of third-party

 

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payers. Healthcare reform legislation has increased the number of patients who have insurance coverage for our products, but provisions such as the assessment of a branded pharmaceutical manufacturer fee and an increase in the amount of rebates that manufacturers pay for coverage of their drugs by Medicaid programs may have an adverse effect on us. It is uncertain how current and future reforms in these areas will influence the future of our business operations and financial condition. In addition, “tender systems” for generic pharmaceuticals have been implemented (by both public and private entities) in a number of significant markets in which we operate, including in some European markets, in an effort to lower prices. Under such tender systems, manufacturers submit bids that establish prices for generic pharmaceutical products. These measures impact marketing practices and reimbursement of drugs and may further increase pressure on reimbursement margins. Certain other countries may consider the implementation of a tender system. Failing to win tenders or our withdrawal from participating in tenders, or the implementation of similar systems in other markets leading to further price declines, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position and results of operations.

A significant portion of our revenues is derived from sales to a limited number of customers. If we were to experience a significant reduction in or loss of business with one or more such customers, or if one or more such customers were to experience difficulty in paying us on a timely basis, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected. For a description of our revenue from our main customers, see note 19 to our consolidated financial statements.

We may evaluate or pursue potential acquisitions, strategic alliances and licenses, among other transactions, as part of our business strategy. Relying on acquisitions, licensing agreements and other transactions as sources of new specialty, biosimilar and other products, or as a means of growth, involves risks that could adversely affect our future revenues and operating results. We may not be successful in seeking or consummating appropriate opportunities to enable us to execute our business strategy. We may not be able to pursue relevant acquisitions and licensing opportunities due to financial capacity constraints, and we may not be able to obtain necessary regulatory approvals, including those of competition authorities, and as a result, or for other reasons, we may fail to consummate an announced acquisition. We may fail to integrate acquisitions successfully into our existing business, and could incur or assume significant debt and unknown or contingent liabilities, including, among others, patent infringement or product liability claims. In addition, partners for which we may enter into licensing or other collaboration agreements may not be able to perform their responsibilities challenging the ability to monetize opportunities related to them.

We may from time to time consider selling certain assets if we determine that such assets are not critical to our strategy or we believe the opportunity to monetize the asset is attractive or for various other reasons, including for the reduction of indebtedness. We closed or divested a significant number of manufacturing plants and R&D facilities between 2017 and 2019 in connection with our restructuring plan and may close or divest additional plants and facilities as part of our ongoing efforts regarding network consolidation activities. We have explored and may continue to explore the sale of certain non-core assets. We may fail to identify appropriate opportunities to divest assets on terms acceptable to us or may fail to transition employees and continuing operations from disposed businesses efficiently. If divestiture opportunities are found, consummation of any such divestiture may be subject to closing conditions, including obtaining necessary regulatory approvals, including those of competition authorities, and as a result, or for other reasons, we may fail to consummate an announced divestiture. Although our expectation is to engage in asset sales only if they advance or otherwise support our overall strategy, any such sale could reduce the size or scope of our business, the durability of our manufacturing network, our market share in particular markets or our opportunities with respect to certain markets.

 

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We operate around the world in complex legal and regulatory environments. Any failure to comply with applicable laws, rules and regulations may result in civil and/or criminal legal proceedings and lead to fines, damages, mandated compliance programs and other sanctions and remedies that may materially affect our business and operations as well as our reputation. In addition, as rules and regulations change or as interpretations of those rules and regulations evolve, our prior conduct or that of companies we have acquired may be investigated.

Examples of rules and regulations impacting our operations include rules and regulations applicable to the sales and marketing of our products, competition laws, trade control laws, anti-bribery laws, privacy laws, compliance with cGMP, labor laws, safety and laws regarding manufacturing practices, product labeling, advertising and post marketing reporting including adverse event reports and field alerts due to manufacturing quality concerns, tax and financial reporting laws and environmental laws.

We are currently subject to several governmental and civil proceedings and litigations relating to our pricing and marketing practices, intellectual property, product liability, competition matters, opioids, securities disclosure and corporate governance and environmental matters. These investigations and litigations are costly and involve a significant diversion of management attention. Such proceedings are unpredictable and may develop over lengthy periods of time. An adverse resolution of these proceedings may result in large monetary fines, damages, additional litigation, such as securities and derivative actions, and other non-monetary sanctions and remedies, such as mandated compliance agreements, which can be expensive and disruptive to operations.

Due to increasing numbers of securities claims over the last several years and related payouts under insurance policies, in addition to increased settlement values in “event-driven” litigation and a growing number of plaintiff shareholder law firms eager to bring claims, premiums and deductibles for insurance, including D&O insurance, have been increasing and some insurers are reducing the number of companies they insure, causing the supply of insurance to lag behind demand. This could increase our premiums, reduce the scope and capacity of our coverage, and adversely affect our ability to maintain and renew our existing insurance policies on favorable terms or at all. While we continue to maintain insurance coverage intended to address certain risks, such coverage may be insufficient to cover claims and losses we face.

Certain governmental and regulatory agencies are focused on the abuse of opioid medications in the United States. U.S. federal, state and local governmental and regulatory agencies are conducting investigations of us, other pharmaceutical manufacturers and other supply chain participants with regard to the manufacture, sale, marketing and distribution of opioid medications. A number of state attorneys general, including a coordinated multistate effort, are investigating our marketing, sales and distribution of opioids, and we have received subpoenas from the DOJ seeking documents relating to the manufacture, marketing and sale of opioid medications. In addition, we are currently litigating civil claims and administrative actions brought by various states and political subdivisions as well as private claimants, against various manufacturers, distributors and retail pharmacies throughout the United States in connection with our manufacture, marketing, sale and distribution of opioids. Also, several jurisdictions and consumers in Canada have initiated litigation regarding opioids alleging similar claims as those in the United States, and we may be sued in other jurisdictions globally for similar claims as well. The loss or settlement of any such claims related to opioids could have a material adverse impact on our liquidity. For further information, see “Opioids Litigation” in note 12b to our consolidated financial statements.

 

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In addition to the costs and potential consequences associated with defending the governmental investigations and legal proceedings, legislative, regulatory or industry measures to address the misuse of prescription opioid medications may also affect our business in ways that we are not able to predict. For example, a number of states, including New York, have enacted legislation that requires the payment of assessments or taxes on the sale or distribution of opioid medications in those states. If other state or local jurisdictions successfully enact similar legislation and we are not able to mitigate the impact on our business through operational changes or commercial arrangements, such legislation in the aggregate may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Furthermore, we utilize controlled substances in certain of our current products and products in development, and therefore must meet the requirements of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 and related regulations administered by the DEA in the U.S., as well as the requirements of similar laws and regulations in other countries where we operate, relating to the manufacture, shipment, storage, sale, and use of controlled substances. While we are committed to compliance and have robust compliance systems in place, risk associated with these laws and regulations cannot be entirely eliminated by policies and procedures. The DEA and other regulatory agencies also set annual procurement quotas that limit the availability of the controlled substances used in certain of our current products and products in development, and quota levels may impact our ability to meet commercial demand or complete clinical trials. In addition, prescription drug abuse and the diversion of opioids and other controlled substances are the frequent subject of public attention, which presents significant reputational risk. The occurrence of any of the above risks could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, and/or share price.

We are required to comply with competition laws in the territories where we do business around the world. Compliance with these laws has been the subject of increasing focus and activity by regulatory authorities, both in the United States and Europe, in recent years. Alleged actions by our employees, in violation of such laws, or evolving interpretations of competition law as applicable to certain practices, have exposed us, and may further expose us, to investigations and legal proceedings, which may result in significant liability for violations of competition laws, which may have a material adverse effect on our reputation, business, financial condition and results of operations.

We are subject to a DOJ civil investigation and a criminal indictment charging Teva USA with criminal felony Sherman Act violations, that, if resulting in a conviction or guilty plea, could have a material adverse effect on our business, including monetary penalties, debarment from federally funded health care programs and reputational harm. In addition, we are a party to numerous civil claims brought by state officials and private plaintiffs alleging that Teva, together with other pharmaceutical manufacturers, engaged in conspiracies to fix prices and/or allocate market share of generic products in the United States.

We have been involved in numerous litigations involving challenges to the validity or enforceability of listed patents (including our own), and therefore settling patent litigations has been and will likely continue to be an important part of our business. There is continued scrutiny of our patent settlements, including from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) and the European Commission. Accordingly, we may receive formal or informal requests from competition law authorities around the world for information about a particular settlement agreement, and there is a risk that governmental authorities, customers, other downstream purchasers or others may commence actions against us alleging violations of antitrust laws based on our settlement agreements. We are currently defendants in antitrust actions brought by U.S. states, the European Commission and private plaintiffs involving numerous settlement agreements and, since 2015, we are subject to a consent decree with the FTC, which imposes on us certain injunctive reliefs with respect to our ability to enter into patent settlements in the United States. The U.S. Congress and certain state legislatures in the United States have also passed, or

 

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proposed passing, legislation that could adversely impact our ability to settle patent litigations. For example, the State of California has enacted legislation that prohibits, with certain exceptions and safe harbors, various types of patent litigation settlements, and imposes substantial monetary penalties on companies and individuals who do not comply. The enforcement of this law has been preliminarily enjoined as likely violating the U.S. Constitution, but such legislation still creates a risk of significant potential exposure for settling patent litigations and, in turn, makes it more difficult to settle in the first place, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Following calls in recent years from policy makers and other stakeholders in many countries for governmental intervention to address the high prices of certain pharmaceutical products, we are currently, and may in the future be, subject to governmental investigations, claims or other legal or regulatory actions regarding our pricing and/or other alleged exclusionary practices. These include U.S. Congressional investigations regarding both our specialty and generic medicines, the European Commission’s inquiry into COPAXONE, and litigation concerning the U.K. Competition and Markets Authority’s inquiry regarding hydrocortisone. For example, in September 2020, the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform held a hearing focused on pricing of branded medications, which focused in part on historic pricing of COPAXONE in the U.S., and subsequently issued a report with respect to COPAXONE’s pricing. It is not possible to predict the ultimate outcome of any such investigations, claims or proceedings or what other investigations or lawsuits or regulatory responses may result from such assertions, which could have a material adverse effect on our reputation, business, financial condition and results of operations. For further information, see “Government Investigations and Litigation Relating to Pricing and Marketing” in note 12b to our consolidated financial statements.

Our ability to introduce new products depends in large part upon the success of our challenges to patent rights held by third parties or our ability to develop non-infringing products. Based upon a variety of legal and commercial factors, we may elect to sell a product even though patent litigation is still pending, either before any court decision is rendered or while an appeal of a lower court decision is pending. The outcome of such patent litigation could, in certain cases, materially adversely affect our business. For further information, see “Intellectual Property Litigation” in note 12b to our consolidated financial statements.

If we sell products prior to a final court decision, whether in the United States, Europe or elsewhere, and such decision is adverse to us, we could be required to cease selling the infringing products, causing us to lose future sales revenue from such products and to face substantial liabilities for patent infringement, in the form of either payment for the innovator’s lost profits or a royalty on our sales of the infringing products. These damages may be significant, and could materially adversely affect our business. In the United States, in the event of a finding of willful infringement, the damages assessed may be up to three times the profits lost by the patent owner. Because of the discount pricing typically involved with generic pharmaceutical products, patented brand products generally realize a significantly higher profit margin than generic pharmaceutical products. As a result, the damages assessed may be significantly higher than our profits. In addition, even if we do not suffer damages, we may incur significant legal and related expenses in the course of successfully defending against infringement claims.

Our business inherently exposes us to claims for injuries allegedly resulting from the use of our products. As our portfolio of available products expands, particularly with new specialty products, we may experience increases in product liability claims asserted against us.

 

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Teva maintains an insurance program, which may include commercial insurance, self-insurance (including direct risk retention), or a combination of both approaches, in amounts and on terms that it believes are reasonable and prudent in light of its business and related risks. Teva sells, and will continue to sell, pharmaceutical products that are not covered by its product liability insurance. In addition, it may be subject to claims for which insurance coverage is denied, as well as claims that exceed its policy limits. Product liability coverage for pharmaceutical companies is becoming more expensive and increasingly difficult to obtain. As a result, Teva may not be able to obtain the type and amount of insurance it desires, or any insurance on reasonable terms, in the markets in which it operates. For further information regarding our current material product liability cases, see note 12b to our consolidated financial statements.

The U.S. laws and regulations regarding Medicare and/or Medicaid reimbursement and rebates and other governmental programs are complex. Some of the applicable laws may impose liability even in the absence of specific intent to defraud. The subjective decisions and complex methodologies used in making calculations under these programs are subject to review and challenge, and it is possible that such reviews could result in material changes. In addition, the U.S. government has alleged violations of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, and related causes of action under the federal False Claims Act and state law in connection with Teva’s donations to patient assistance programs. Such allegations could, if proven or settled, result in additional monetary penalties (beyond the lawsuits we have already settled) and possible exclusion from Medicare, Medicaid and other programs. In addition, we are notified from time to time of governmental investigations regarding drug reimbursement or pricing issues. For further information, see “Government Investigations and Litigation Relating to Pricing and Marketing” in note 12b to our consolidated financial statements. Certain parts of Medicare benefits are under scrutiny, as the U.S. Congress looks for ways to reduce government spending on prescription medicines.

As a company with global operations, we may be subject to national laws as well as international treaties and conventions controlling imports, exports, re-export, transfer and diversion of goods (including finished goods, materials, APIs, packaging materials, other products and machines), services and technology. These include import and customs laws, export controls, trade embargoes and economic sanctions, restrictions on sales to parties that are listed on (or are owned or controlled by one or more parties listed on) denied party watch lists and anti-boycott measures (collectively “Customs and Trade Controls”). Applicable Customs and Trade Controls are administered by Israel’s Ministry of Finance, the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the U.S. Department of Commerce, other U.S. agencies and multiple other agencies of other jurisdictions around the world where we do business. Customs and Trade Controls relate to a number of aspects of our business, including most notably the sales of finished goods and API as well as the licensing of our intellectual property. Compliance with Customs and Trade Controls has been the subject of increasing focus and activity by regulatory authorities, both in the United States and elsewhere, in recent years, and requirements under applicable Customs and Trade Controls in general, change frequently. Although we have policies and procedures designed to address compliance with Customs and Trade Controls, actions by our employees, by third-party intermediaries (such as distributors and wholesalers) or others acting on our behalf in violation of relevant laws and regulations may expose us to liability and penalties for violations of Customs and Trade Controls and accordingly may have a material adverse effect on our reputation and our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

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We are subject to laws and regulations concerning the environment, safety matters, regulation of chemicals and product safety in the countries where we manufacture and sell our products or otherwise operate our business. These requirements include regulation of the handling, manufacture, transportation, storage, use and disposal of materials, including the discharge of pollutants into the environment. If we fail to comply with these laws and regulations, we may be subject to enforcement proceedings including fines and penalties. In the normal course of our business, we are also exposed to risks relating to possible releases of hazardous substances into the environment, which could cause environmental or property damage or personal injuries, and which could require remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater. Under certain laws, we may be required to remediate contamination at certain of our properties, regardless of whether the contamination was caused by us or by previous occupants or users of the property. Climate change, and laws, regulations and policies regarding climate change, could also pose additional legal or regulatory requirements related to greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions reporting, carbon pricing, and mandatory reduction targets. These more stringent requirements could increase our costs of sourcing, production, and transportation, as well as have negative reputational impacts if we fail to meet such requirements. While we have set a Science-Based Target for GHG reductions, failure to respond to risks regarding climate change may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and reputation.

Natural disasters and extreme weather events resulting from climate change, such as floods, heatwaves, blizzards, hurricanes, wildfires, the rise of sea level, and water stress, could impact our business activities and our ability to deliver our products to customers. We evaluate these risks in our supply planning, loss prevention and business continuity planning. The implementation of an Environmental, Health and Safety Management System across our facilities has resulted in the development of processes to prepare and respond to a range of natural emergencies that may occur, including extreme weather events. We have been placing increased attention on water management, implementing a scarcity-focused approach to water conservation to align with community needs and advance toward sustainable operations. If our planning and risk management regarding natural disasters and extreme weather events fail, our facilities could be impacted and our activities could be significantly disrupted.

In recent years, there has been an increased focus from certain investors, employees, consumers and other stakeholders concerning ESG matters. These matters can contribute to the long-term sustainability of companies’ performance and an inability to successfully perform on ESG matters can result in negative impacts to our reputation, recruitment, retention, operations, financial results, and the price of our shares. From time to time, we announce certain initiatives, including goals, regarding our focus areas, which include environmental matters, responsible sourcing, promoting access to medicines, social investments and I&D. We could fail, or be perceived to fail, in our achievement of such initiatives or goals, or we could fail to accurately report our progress on such initiatives and goals. Such failures could be due to changes in our business. For example, we issued sustainability-linked senior notes with targets that include improving access to medicines in low- and middle-income countries and reducing GHG emissions, and failure to achieve such targets could negatively impact our reputation and also result in increased payments to holders of such senior notes. Moreover, the standards by which ESG matters are measured are developing and evolving, and certain areas are subject to assumptions that could change over time. A variety of organizations measure performance on ESG topics, including on topics such as the cost, even if unintended, of our actions on climate change and inequality in society. In addition, we could be criticized for the scope of such initiatives or goals or perceived as not acting responsibly in connection with these matters. Any such ESG matters could have a material adverse effect on our reputation, business, financial condition and results of

 

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operations. While we monitor a broad range of ESG issues, there can be no certainty that we will manage such issues successfully, or that we will successfully meet the expectations of investors, employees, consumers and other stakeholders.

Fluctuations in exchange rates between the currencies in which we operate in, and the U.S. dollar, may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, the value of balance sheet items denominated in foreign currencies and our financial condition.

In 2021, approximately 48% of revenues were denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. As a result, we are subject to significant foreign currency risks, including repatriation restrictions in certain countries, and may face heightened risks as we enter new markets. A substantial proportion of our sales, particularly in Latin America, Central and Eastern European countries and Asia, are recorded in local currencies, which exposes us to the direct risk of devaluations, hyperinflation or exchange rate fluctuations. In addition, although the majority of our operating costs are recorded in, or linked to, the U.S. dollar, in 2021, we incurred a substantial amount of operating costs in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, which only partially offset the currency risk derived from our sales in non-U.S. dollars.

We use derivative financial instruments and “hedging” techniques, such as issuance of debt in non-U.S. dollar currencies, to manage our balance sheet and income statement exposure to currency exchange rate fluctuations in the major foreign currencies in which we operate. However, not all of our potential exposure is covered, and some elements of our consolidated financial statements, such as our equity position, are not protected against foreign currency exposures. Therefore, our exposure to exchange rate fluctuations could have a material adverse effect on our financial results.

The imposition of price controls or restrictions on the conversion of foreign currencies could also have a material adverse effect on our financial results. In addition, operating internationally exposes us to credit risks of customers and other counterparties in a number of jurisdictions. Some of these customers and other counterparties may have lesser creditworthiness than others and the legal system for enforcing collections in such jurisdictions may be less well-developed.

We regularly review our long-lived assets, including identifiable intangible assets, goodwill and property, plant and equipment, for impairment. Goodwill and acquired indefinite life intangible assets are subject to impairment review on an annual basis and whenever potential impairment indicators are present. Other long-lived assets are reviewed when there is an indication that impairment may have occurred. The amount of goodwill, identifiable intangible assets and property, plant and equipment on our consolidated balance sheet may increase following acquisitions or other collaboration agreements. Changes in market conditions or other changes in the future outlook of value may lead to further impairments in the future. In addition, the potential divestment of assets, including the closure or divestment of manufacturing plants and R&D facilities, headquarters and other office locations, may lead to additional impairments. Future events or decisions may lead to asset impairments and/or related charges. For assets that are not impaired, we may adjust the remaining useful lives. Certain non-cash impairments may result from a change in our strategic goals, business direction or other factors relating to the overall business environment. Any significant impairment could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations. See notes 6 and 7 in our consolidated financial statements, for descriptions of impairments of intangible assets and goodwill in recent periods.

 

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We are subject to tax in many jurisdictions, and significant judgment is required in determining our provision for income taxes. Likewise, we are subject to audit by tax authorities in many jurisdictions. In such audits, our interpretation of tax legislation may be challenged and tax authorities in various jurisdictions may disagree with, and subsequently challenge, the amount of profits taxed in such jurisdictions under our inter-company agreements.

Although we believe our estimates are reasonable, the ultimate outcome of such audits and related litigation could be different from our provision for taxes and may have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial statements and cash flows.

Proposed tax legislation in certain of the jurisdictions in which we operate, including the proposed Build Back Better Act in the United States, could have a material adverse effect on our tax liabilities.

The base erosion and profit shifting (“BEPS”) project undertaken by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (“OECD”) may have adverse consequences to our tax liabilities. The BEPS project contemplates changes to numerous international tax principles, as well as national tax incentives, and these changes, when adopted by individual countries, could adversely affect our provision for income taxes. The first wave of BEPS recommendations has been implemented by countries in specific national tax laws, and the OECD is currently working on further initiatives that may further change current international tax principles. It remains difficult to predict the magnitude of the effect of such new rules on our financial results.

Our tax expenses and the resulting effective tax rate reflected in our consolidated financial statements may increase over time as a result of changes in corporate income tax rates, other changes in the tax laws of the various countries in which we operate or changes in our product mix or the mix of countries where we generate profit. We have benefited, and currently benefit, from a variety of Israeli and other government programs and tax benefits that generally carry conditions that we must meet in order to be eligible to obtain such benefits. If we fail to meet the conditions upon which certain favorable tax treatment is based, we would not be able to claim future tax benefits and could be required to refund tax benefits already received. Additionally, some of these programs and the related tax benefits are available to us for a limited number of years, and these benefits expire from time to time.

Any of the following could have a material effect on our overall effective tax rate:

 

 

 

 

 

The rights and responsibilities of the holders of our ordinary shares are governed by our articles of association and by Israeli law. These rights and responsibilities differ in some material respects from the rights

 

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and responsibilities of shareholders of U.S. corporations. In particular, a shareholder of an Israeli company has a duty to act in good faith and in a customary manner in exercising his or her rights and performing his or her obligations towards the company and other shareholders, and to refrain from abusing his or her power in the company, including, among other things, in voting at a general meeting of shareholders on matters such as amendments to a company’s articles of association, increases in a company’s authorized share capital, mergers and acquisitions and related party transactions requiring shareholder approval. In addition, a shareholder who is aware that it possesses the power to determine the outcome of a shareholder vote or to appoint or prevent the appointment of a director or executive officer in the company has a duty of fairness toward the company. There is limited case law available to assist in understanding the nature of this duty or the implications of these provisions. These provisions may be interpreted to impose additional obligations and liabilities on holders of our ordinary shares that are not typically imposed on shareholders of U.S. corporations.

Israeli corporate law regulates acquisitions of shares through tender offers and mergers, requires special approvals for transactions involving directors, officers or significant shareholders, and regulates other matters that may be relevant to these types of transactions. Furthermore, Israeli tax considerations may make potential acquisition transactions unappealing to us or to some of our shareholders. For example, Israeli tax law may subject a shareholder who exchanges his or her ordinary shares for shares in a foreign corporation to taxation before disposition of the investment in the foreign corporation. These provisions of Israeli law may delay, prevent or make difficult an acquisition of our company, which could prevent a change of control and, therefore, depress the price of our shares.

In addition, our articles of association contain certain provisions that may make it more difficult to acquire us, such as provisions that provide for a classified board of directors and that our Board of Directors may issue preferred shares. These provisions may have the effect of delaying or deterring a change in control of us, thereby limiting the opportunity for shareholders to receive a premium for their shares and possibly affecting the price that some investors are willing to pay for our securities.

Our ADSs have been traded in the United States since 1982, and on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) since 2012, and our ordinary shares have been listed on the TASE since 1951. Trading in our securities on these markets takes place in different currencies (our ADSs are traded in U.S. dollars and our ordinary shares are traded in New Israeli Shekels), and at different times (resulting from different time zones, different trading days and different public holidays in the United States and Israel). As a result, the trading prices of our securities on these two markets may differ due to these factors. In addition, any decrease in the price of our securities on one of these markets could cause a decrease in the trading price of our securities on the other market.

Not applicable.

 

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We own or lease 79 manufacturing and R&D facilities, occupying approximately 22.2 million square feet. As of December 31, 2021, our manufacturing and R&D facilities are used by our business segments as follows:

 

In addition to the manufacturing and R&D facilities discussed above, we maintain numerous office, distribution and warehouse facilities around the world.

We generally seek to own our manufacturing facilities. Office, R&D, distribution and warehouse facilities are often leased.

We are committed to maintaining all of our properties in good operating condition and repair, and the facilities are well utilized.

In Israel, our principal executive offices and corporate headquarters are located in Tel Aviv-Jaffa. We have an operating lease for our office space in Tel Aviv-Jaffa for an initial term of twelve and a half years, with an option for three extensions.

In North America, our principal executive offices are our U.S. headquarters in Parsippany, New Jersey. In Europe, our principal executive offices are in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

We are continuing the ongoing review and optimization of our manufacturing and supply network, which may include closures and/or divestment of manufacturing plants around the world.

Information pertaining to legal proceedings can be found in “Item 8 Financial Statements—Note 12b Contingencies” and is incorporated by reference herein.

Not applicable.

Our ADSs, which have been traded in the United States since 1982, were admitted to trade on the Nasdaq National Market in October 1987 and were subsequently traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market. On May 30, 2012, we transferred the listing of our ADSs to the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”). The ADSs are

 

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quoted under the symbol “TEVA.” Citibank, N.A. serves as depositary for the ADSs. Each ADS represents one ordinary share.

Various other stock exchanges quote derivatives and options on our ADSs under the symbol “TEVA.”

Our ordinary shares have been listed on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (“TASE”) since 1951.

The number of record holders of ADSs at December 31, 2021 was 2,497.

The number of record holders of ordinary shares at December 31, 2021 was 177.

The number of record holders is based upon the actual number of holders registered on our books at such date and does not include holders of shares in “street names” or persons, partnerships, associations, corporations or other entities identified in security position listings maintained by depository trust companies.

We have not paid dividends on our ordinary shares or ADSs since December 2017.

None.

Set forth below is a performance graph comparing the cumulative total return (assuming reinvestment of dividends), in U.S. dollars, for the calendar years ended December 31, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021, of $100 invested on December 31, 2016 in the Company’s ADSs, the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index and the Dow Jones U.S. Pharmaceuticals Index.

 

 

[Reserved].

 

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We are a global pharmaceutical company, committed to helping patients around the world to access affordable medicines and benefit from innovations to improve their health. Our mission is to be a global leader in generics, specialty medicines and biopharmaceuticals, improving the lives of patients.

We operate worldwide, with headquarters in Israel and a significant presence in the United States, Europe and many other markets around the world. Our key strengths include our world-leading generic medicines expertise and portfolio, focused specialty medicines portfolio and global infrastructure and scale.

Teva was incorporated in Israel on February 13, 1944 and is the successor to a number of Israeli corporations, the oldest of which was established in 1901.

We operate our business through three segments: North America, Europe and International Markets. Each business segment manages our entire product portfolio in its region, including generics, specialty and OTC products. This structure enables strong alignment and integration between operations, commercial regions, R&D and our global marketing and portfolio function, optimizing our product lifecycle across therapeutic areas.

In addition to these three segments, we have other activities, primarily the sale of API to third parties, certain contract manufacturing services and an out-licensing platform offering a portfolio of products to other pharmaceutical companies through our affiliate Medis.

As a leading global pharmaceutical company, Teva provides essential medicines to millions of patients around the world every day. Our priorities remain focused on the health and well-being of our employees and on our responsibility to continue to provide our medicines to the nearly 200 million patients who depend on us every day.

During 2021, we have not experienced material delays in production and distribution of medicines or disruptions in our supply chains. The supply chain supporting our key products – specialty, generics and API – remains largely uninterrupted, with adequate product inventory across our network and redundancy plans in place to address potential shortfalls, if any. Our facilities that research, manufacture, order, pack, distribute and provide critical customer and patient services remain largely uninterrupted as well, and are currently functioning to meet demand for essential medicines for patients throughout the world.

During 2021, we have experienced delays in clinical trials due to slow-downs of recruitment for studies and suspended regulatory inspections, raw material supply issues, delays in regulatory approvals of new products due to reduced capacity or re-prioritization of regulatory agencies and delays in pre-commercial launch activities. We may experience further delays if the pandemic continues for an extended period of time.

The long-term effects of the pandemic cannot be predicted at this time and would depend on the duration and severity of the pandemic and the restrictive measures put in place to control its impact. During 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic has continued to have an impact on markets and on customer stocking and purchasing patterns. Although no one can predict future demand for pharmaceutical products, market dynamics or the scope or duration of the financial and other challenges arising from the pandemic, it is possible that we will continue to see variable demand in future periods. While COVID-19 continues to impact sales in certain markets and for certain products, we do not currently anticipate a material impact on our 2022 financial results due to the ongoing global pandemic.

 

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Significant highlights of 2021 included:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The discussion that follows includes a comparison of our results of operations and liquidity and capital resources for fiscal years 2021 and 2020. For a comparison of our results of operations and financial condition for fiscal years 2020 and 2019, see “Item 7—Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” of our 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on February 10, 2021.

The following table presents revenues, expenses and profit for our North America segment for the past two years:

 

 

Our North America segment includes the United States and Canada. Revenues from our North America segment in 2021 were $7,809 million, a decrease of $637 million, or 7.5%, compared to 2020, mainly due to a decline in revenues from COPAXONE, generic products and ANDA, partially offset by higher revenues from AUSTEDO and AJOVY. Our North America segment has experienced some reductions in volume due to less physician and hospital activity during the COVID-19 pandemic, but has also experienced increase in demand for certain products related to the treatment of COVID-19 and its symptoms. In addition, the ability to promote our new specialty products, primarily AJOVY and AUSTEDO, has been impacted by less physician visits by patients and less physician interactions by our sales personnel.

The following table presents revenues for our North America segment by major products and activities for the past two years:

 

 

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Among the most significant generic products we sold in North America in 2021 were Truxima (the biosimilar to Rituxan), epinephrine injectable solution (the generic equivalent of EpiPen and EpiPen Jr.), albuterol sulfate inhalation aerosol (our ProAir authorized generic), emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate tablets (the generic equivalent of Truvada), and lidocaine transdermal patch (the generic equivalent of Lidoderm Patch).

For more information on our generic products, including biosimilars, see “Item 1—Business—Our Product Portfolio and Business Offering—Generic Medicines.” In 2021, our total prescriptions were approximately 301 million (based on trailing twelve months), representing 8.3% of total U.S. generic prescriptions according to IQVIA data.

For more information on AJOVY, see “Item 1—Business—Our Product Portfolio and Business Offering—Specialty Medicines—AJOVY.”

For more information on AUSTEDO, see “Item 1—Business—Our Product Portfolio and Business Offering—Specialty Medicines—AUSTEDO.”

®

For more information on BENDEKA and TREANDA, see “Item 1—Business—Our Product Portfolio and Business Offering—Specialty Medicines—Oncology.”

For more information on COPAXONE, see “Item 1—Business—Our Product Portfolio and Business Offering—Specialty Medicines—COPAXONE.”

®

 

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For more information on ProAir and our Digihaler portfolio, see “Item 1—Business—Our Product Portfolio and Business Offering—Specialty Medicines—Respiratory.”

In 2021, we launched the generic version of the following branded products in the United States:

 

 

As of December 31, 2021, our generic products pipeline in the United States includes 200 product applications awaiting FDA approval, including 69 tentative approvals. This total reflects all pending ANDAs, supplements for product line extensions and tentatively approved applications and includes some instances where more than one application was submitted for the same reference product. Excluding overlaps, the branded products underlying these pending applications had U.S. sales for the twelve months ended September 30, 2021 exceeding $110 billion, according to IQVIA. Approximately 72% of pending applications include a paragraph IV patent challenge and we believe we are first to file with respect to 75 of these products, or 102 products including

 

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final approvals where launch is pending a settlement agreement or court decision. Collectively, these first to file opportunities represent over $81 billion in U.S. brand sales for the twelve months ended September 30, 2021, according to IQVIA.

IQVIA reported brand sales are one of the many indicators of future potential value of a launch, but equally important are the mix and timing of competition, as well as cost effectiveness. The potential advantages of being the first filer with respect to some of these products may be subject to forfeiture, shared exclusivity or competition from so-called “authorized generics,” which may ultimately affect the value derived.

In 2021, we received tentative approvals for generic equivalents of the products listed in the table below, excluding overlapping applications. A “tentative approval” indicates that the FDA has substantially completed its review of an application and final approval is expected once the relevant patent expires, a court decision is reached, a 30-month regulatory stay lapses or a 180-day exclusivity period awarded to another manufacturer either expires or is forfeited.

 

 

For a description of our specialty product pipeline, see “Item 1—Business—Our Product Portfolio and Business Offering—Specialty Medicines” above.

Gross profit from our North America segment in 2021 was $4,226 million, a decrease of 6% compared to $4,489 million in 2020, mainly due to lower revenues from COPAXONE and generic products.

Gross profit margin for our North America segment in 2021 increased to 54.1%, compared to 53.1% in 2020. This increase was mainly due to higher revenues from AUSTEDO and a favorable mix of generic products.

R&D expenses relating to our North America segment in 2021 were $618 million, a decrease of 1% compared to $622 million in 2020.

For a description of our R&D expenses in 2021, see “—Teva Consolidated Results—Research and Development (R&D) Expenses” below.

S&M expenses relating to our North America segment in 2021 were $988 million, a decrease of 2% compared to $1,013 million in 2020, mainly due to lower volumes as well as sales force efficiencies.

 

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G&A expenses relating to our North America segment in 2021 were $427 million, a decrease of 4% compared to $443 million in 2020.

Profit from our North America segment consists of gross profit less R&D expenses, S&M expenses, G&A expenses and any other income related to this segment. Segment profit does not include amortization and certain other items.

Profit from our North America segment in 2021 was $2,224 million, a decrease of 8% compared to $2,421 million in 2020. This decrease was mainly due to lower revenues, partially offset by lower operating expenses, as discussed above, as well as higher other income, as discussed in note 16 to our consolidated financial statements.

The following table presents revenues, expenses and profit for our Europe segment for the past two years:

 

 

Our Europe segment includes the European Union, the United Kingdom and certain other European countries. Revenues from our Europe segment in 2021 were $4,886 million, an increase of $129 million, or 3%, compared to 2020. In local currency terms, revenues decreased by 2%, mainly due to lower demand of generic, OTC and respiratory products due to the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on purchasing patterns, price declines in oncology products as a result of generic competition and a decline in COPAXONE revenues due to competing glatiramer acetate products, partially offset by increasing revenues from AJOVY.

 

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The following table presents revenues for our Europe segment by major products and activities for the past two years:

 

 

For more information on AJOVY, see “Item 1—Business—Our Product Portfolio and Business Offering—Specialty Medicines—AJOVY.”

For more information on COPAXONE, see “Item 1—Business—Our Product Portfolio and Business Offering—Specialty Medicines—COPAXONE.”

As of December 31, 2021, our generic products pipeline in Europe included 588 generic approvals relating to 77 compounds in 163 formulations, no EMA approvals received. In addition, approximately 1,351 marketing authorization applications pending approval in 37 European countries, relating to 137 compounds in 278 formulations. One application is pending with the EMA.

For a description of our specialty product pipeline, see “Item 1—Business—Our Product Portfolio and Business Offering—Specialty Medicines” above.

Gross profit from our Europe segment in 2021 was $2,823 million, an increase of 6% compared to $2,666 million in 2020. This increase was mainly due to a positive exchange rate impact and lower cost of goods sold, mainly driven by our network consolidation activities.

 

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Gross profit margin for our Europe segment in 2021 increased to 57.8%, compared to 56.0% in 2020, mainly due to our network consolidation activities.

R&D expenses relating to our Europe segment in 2021 were $244 million, a decrease of 1% compared to $247 million in 2020.

For a description of our R&D expenses in 2021, see “—Teva Consolidated Results—Research and Development (R&D) Expenses” below.

S&M expenses relating to our Europe segment in 2021 were $846 million, an increase of 2% compared to $830 million in 2020. This increase was mainly due to exchange rate impacts.

G&A expenses relating to our Europe segment in 2021 were $244 million, a decrease of 7% compared to $261 million in 2020.

Profit of our Europe segment consists of gross profit less R&D expenses, S&M expenses, G&A expenses and any other income related to this segment. Segment profit does not include amortization and certain other items.

Profit from our Europe segment in 2021 was $1,494 million, an increase of 12% compared to $1,331 million in 2020. This increase was mainly due to higher gross profit, as described above.

The following table presents revenues, expenses and profit for our International Markets segment for the past two years:

 

 

Our International Markets segment includes all countries in which we operate other than those in our North America and Europe segments. The International Markets segment includes more than 35 countries,

 

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covering a substantial portion of the global pharmaceutical market. Our key international markets are Japan, Russia and Israel. The countries in our International Markets segment include highly regulated, pure generic markets, such as Israel, branded generics oriented markets, such as Russia and certain Latin American markets, and hybrid markets, such as Japan.

On February 1, 2021, we completed the sale of the majority of the generic and operational assets of our business venture in Japan.

Revenues from our International Markets segment in 2021 were $2,032 million, a decrease of $122 million, or 6%, compared to 2020. In local currency terms, revenues decreased by 4% compared to 2020, mainly due to lower sales in Japan resulting from the divestment mentioned above, partially offset by higher revenues in most markets. Revenues continued to be affected by the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on markets and on customer stocking and purchasing patterns. Revenues in 2021, included $6 million from a positive hedging impact, compared to $16 million from a positive hedging impact in 2020, which are included in “Other” in the table below. See note 10d to our consolidated financial statements.

The following table presents revenues for our International Markets segment by major products and activities for the past two years:

 

For more information on COPAXONE, see “Item 1—Business—Our Product Portfolio and Business Offering—Specialty Medicines—COPAXONE.”

Gross profit from our International Markets segment in 2021 was $1,118 million, an increase of 2% compared to $1,096 million in 2020.

 

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Gross profit margin for our International Markets segment in 2021 increased to 55.0%, compared to 50.9% in 2020. This increase was mainly due to higher profitability resulting from the divestment in Japan mentioned above, partially offset by regulatory price reductions and generic competition to off-patented products in Japan.

R&D expenses relating to our International Markets segment in 2021 were $68 million, a decrease of 3% compared to $70 million in 2020.

For a description of our R&D expenses in 2021, see “—Teva Consolidated Results—Research and Development (R&D) Expenses” below.

S&M expenses relating to our International Markets segment in 2021 were $417 million, a decrease of 2% compared to $427 million in 2020, mainly due to lower marketing and travel costs attributed to restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

G&A expenses relating to our International Markets segment in 2021 were $109 million, a decrease of 19% compared to $136 million in 2020.

Profit of our International Markets segment consists of gross profit less R&D expenses, S&M expenses, G&A expenses and any other income related to this segment. Segment profit does not include amortization and certain other items.

Profit from our International Markets segment in 2021 was $529 million an increase of 12% compared to $474 million in 2020. This increase was mainly due to higher revenues in most markets and lower S&M and G&A expenses, partially offset by lower sales in Japan, as discussed above.

We have other sources of revenues, primarily the sale of APIs to third parties, certain contract manufacturing services and an out-licensing platform offering a portfolio of products to other pharmaceutical companies through our affiliate Medis. Our other activities are not included in our North America, Europe or International Markets segments described above.

Our revenues from other activities in 2021 were $1,151 million, a decrease of 12% compared to 2020. In local currency terms, revenues decreased by 13%, mainly due to a decrease in volumes from API and Medis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as lower revenues from contract manufacturing services.

API sales to third parties in 2021 were $742 million, a decrease of 4% in both U.S. dollars and local currency terms.

Revenues in 2021 were $15,878 million, a decrease of 5%, in U.S. dollars or 6% in local currency terms, compared to 2020, mainly due to lower revenues from COPAXONE, generic products in the U.S., generic

 

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products in Japan resulting from the divestment of a majority of the generic and operational assets of our Japanese business venture, and Anda, partially offset by higher revenues from AUSTEDO and AJOVY. Revenues continued to be affected by the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on markets and on customer stocking and purchasing patterns. See “—North America Revenues,” “—Europe Revenues,” “—International Markets Revenues” and “—Other Activities” above.

Exchange rate movements during 2021, including hedging effects, positively impacted revenues by $232 million, compared to 2020. See note 10d to our consolidated financial statements.

Gross profit in 2021 was $7,594 million, a decrease of 2% compared to 2020. This decrease was mainly a result of the factors discussed above under “—North America Gross Profit,” “—Europe Gross Profit” and “—International Markets Gross Profit.”

Gross profit as a percentage of revenues was 47.8% in 2021, compared to 46.4% in 2020.

This increase in gross profit as a percentage of revenues was mainly due to higher profitability in North America, resulting from higher revenues from AUSTEDO and AJOVY, and a favorable mix of generic products, as well as higher profitability in Europe and International Markets, partially offset by lower revenues from COPAXONE due to generic competition.

Our R&D activities for generic products in each of our segments include both (i) direct expenses relating to product formulation, analytical method development, stability testing, management of bioequivalence and other clinical studies and regulatory filings; and (ii) indirect expenses, such as costs of internal administration, infrastructure and personnel.

Our R&D activities for specialty and biosimilar products in each of our segments include costs of discovery research, preclinical development, early- and late-clinical development and drug formulation, clinical trials and product registration costs. These expenditures are reported net of contributions received from collaboration partners. Our spending takes place throughout the development process, including (i) early-stage projects in both discovery and preclinical phases; (ii) middle-stage projects in clinical programs up to phase 3; (iii) late-stage projects in phase 3 programs, including where a new drug application is currently pending approval; (iv) post-approval studies for marketed products; and (v) indirect expenses, such as costs of internal administration, infrastructure and personnel.

Net R&D expenses for 2021 were $967 million, a decrease of 3% compared to 2020.

In 2021, our R&D expenses were primarily related to specialty product candidates in neuroscience (such as migraine, movement disorders/ neurodegeneration and neuropsychiatry, including post-approval commitments), immunology (such as respiratory medicines) and selected other areas, as well as generic products including biosimilars.

Our lower R&D expenses in 2021, compared to 2020, were mainly due to an upfront payment paid in connection with the collaboration with Alvotech and a decrease in the pain and neuropsychiatry therapeutic areas, partially offset by higher R&D expenses related to generic products including biosimilars.

R&D expenses as a percentage of revenues were 6.1% in 2021, compared to 6.0% in 2020.

 

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S&M expenses in 2021 were $2,429 million, a decrease of 3% compared to 2020. Our S&M expenses were primarily the result of the factors discussed above under “—North America Segment— S&M Expenses,” “—Europe Segment— S&M Expenses” and “—International Markets Segment— S&M Expenses.”

S&M expenses as a percentage of revenues were 15.3% in 2021, compared to 15.0% in 2020.

G&A expenses in 2021 were $1,099 million, a decrease of 6% compared to 2020.

G&A expenses as a percentage of revenues were 6.9% in 2021, flat compared to 2020.

We recorded expenses of $424 million for identifiable intangible asset impairments in 2021, compared to expenses of $1,502 million in 2020. See note 6 to our consolidated financial statements.

No goodwill impairment charge was recorded in 2021. We recorded a goodwill impairment charge of $4,628 million related to our North America reporting unit in 2020. See note 7 to our consolidated financial statements.

We recorded expenses of $341 million for other asset impairments, restructuring and other items in 2021, compared to expenses of $479 million in 2020. For further details, as well as a description of significant regulatory and other events, see note 15 to our consolidated financial statements.

In 2021, we recorded an expense of $717 million in legal settlements and loss contingencies, compared to an expense of $60 million in 2020. See note 11 to our consolidated financial statements.

Other income in 2021 was $98 million, compared to $40 million in 2020. See note 16 to our consolidated financial statements.

Operating income was $1,716 million in 2021, compared to operating loss of $3,572 million in 2020.

Operating income as a percentage of revenues was 10.8% in 2021, compared to operating loss as a percentage of revenues of 21.4% in 2020. Operating loss in 2020 was mainly affected by goodwill impairment charges and intangible asset impairments.

Financial expenses were $1,058 million in 2021, compared to $834 million in 2020.

 

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Financial expenses in 2021 were mainly comprised of interest expenses and other bank charges of $891 million and loss on revaluations of marketable securities of $90 million.

Financial expenses in 2020 were mainly comprised of interest expenses and other bank charges of $901 million, partially offset by gains on revaluations of marketable securities of $85 million as well as a gain of $26 million resulting from the impact of exchange rate fluctuations during 2020 on our monetary assets and liabilities, net of hedging effects.

The following table presents a reconciliation of our segment profits to Teva’s consolidated operating income (loss) and to consolidated income (loss) before income taxes for the past two years:

 

In 2021, we recognized a tax expense of $211 million, or 32%, on a pre-tax income of $658 million.

In 2020, we recognized a tax benefit of $168 million, or 4%, on a pre-tax loss of $4,406 million. Our tax rate for 2020 was lower than in 2021 mainly due to a goodwill impairment charge that did not have a corresponding tax effect.

The statutory Israeli corporate tax rate was 23% in 2021. Our effective tax rate is the result of a variety of factors, including the geographic mix and type of products sold during the year, interest expense disallowance, amortization, legal settlement charges, impairments, the impact of adjustments to uncertain tax positions, adjustments to valuation allowances on deferred tax assets and the different effective tax rates applicable to non-Israeli subsidiaries that have tax rates different than our average tax rate.

Share in profits of associated companies, net was $9 million in 2021, compared to $138 million in 2020. Our share in profits of associated companies, net in 2020 was mainly due to a gain of $134 million reflecting the difference between the book value of our investment in American Well Corporation and its fair value as of the date it completed its initial public offering in September 2020.

 

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Net income was $417 million in 2021, compared to a net loss of $3,990 million in 2020.

The weighted average diluted shares outstanding used for the fully diluted share calculation for 2021 and 2020 was 1,107 million and 1,095 million shares, respectively.

In computing diluted earnings per share for the year ended December 31, 2021, basic earnings per share were adjusted to take into account the potential dilution that could occur upon the exercise of options and non-vested RSUs and PSUs granted under employee stock compensation plans. No account was taken of the potential dilution by the convertible senior debentures, since they had an anti-dilutive effect on earnings per share.

In computing diluted loss per share for the year ended December 31, 2020, no account was taken of the potential dilution that could occur upon the exercise of options and non-vested RSUs granted under employee stock compensation plans, and convertible senior debentures, since they had an anti-dilutive effect on loss per share.

Diluted earnings per share were $0.38 for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to diluted loss per share of $3.64 for the year ended December 31, 2020.

We calculate share amounts using the outstanding number of shares (i.e., excluding treasury shares) plus shares that would be outstanding upon the exercise of options and vesting of RSUs and performance share units (“PSUs”) and the conversion of our convertible senior debentures, in each case, at period end.

As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, the fully diluted share count for purposes of calculating our market capitalization was approximately 1,128 million and 1,117 million, respectively.

In 2021, approximately 48% of our revenues were denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. Since our results are reported in U.S. dollars, we are subject to significant foreign currency risks. Accordingly, changes in the rate of exchange between the U.S. dollar and local currencies in the markets in which we operate (primarily the euro, Israeli shekel, Japanese yen, British pound, Russian ruble, Canadian dollar, Swiss franc, Indian rupee and Polish zloty) impact our results.

During 2021, the following main currencies relevant to our operations decreased in value against the U.S. dollar (each on an annual average compared to annual average basis): the Argentinian peso by 26%, the Turkish lira by 19%, the Brazilian real by 5%, the Japanese yen by 3% and the Russian ruble by 2%. The following main currencies relevant to our operations increased in value against the U.S. dollar: the Australian dollar by 9%, the British pound by 7%, the Canadian dollar by 7%, the Swedish krona by 7%, the Israeli shekel by 6% and the euro by 4%.

As a result, exchange rate movements during 2021, including hedging effects, positively impacted overall revenues by $232 million and operating income by $49 million in comparison with 2020.

In 2021, a positive hedging impact of $31 million was recognized under revenues, and a negative impact of $1 million was recognized under cost of sales. In 2020, a positive impact of $1 million was recognized under revenues, offset by a positive impact of $1 million recognized under cost of sales.

 

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Hedging transactions against future projected revenues and expenses are recognized on the balance sheet at their fair value on a quarterly basis, while the foreign exchange impact on the underlying revenues and expenses may occur in subsequent quarters. See note 10 to our consolidated financial statements.

Commencing in the third quarter of 2018, the cumulative inflation in Argentina exceeded 100% or more over a 3-year period. Although this triggered highly inflationary accounting treatment, it did not have a material impact on our results of operations.

Total balance sheet assets were $47,666 million as of December 31, 2021, compared to $50,640 million as of December 31, 2020.

Our working capital balance, which includes accounts receivables net of SR&A, inventories, prepaid expenses and other current assets, accounts payables, employee-related obligations, accrued expenses and other current liabilities, was $787 million as of December 31, 2021, compared to $662 million as of December 31, 2020.

Cash investment in property, plant and equipment in 2021 was $562 million, compared to $578 million in 2020. Depreciation was $528 million in 2021, compared to $537 million in 2020.

Cash and cash equivalents and short-term and long-term investments, as of December 31, 2021, were $2,191 million compared to $2,478 million as of December 31, 2020. This decrease was mainly due to debt repayments as discussed below, partially offset by cash flow generated during the year.

Our cash on hand that is not used for ongoing operations is generally invested in bank deposits, as well as liquid securities that bear fixed and floating rates.

Our principal sources of short-term liquidity are our cash on hand, existing cash investments, liquid securities and available credit facilities, primarily our $2.3 billion syndicated revolving credit facility entered into in April 2019, which will be reduced to $2.2 billion in April 2022 (“RCF”).

Tranche A had a maturity date of April 8, 2022, of which an amount of $1.065 billion was extended twice, initially to April 8, 2023 and then to April 8, 2024. Tranche B has a maturity date of April 8, 2024. Loans and letters of credit will be available from time to time under each tranche for Teva’s general corporate purposes.

The RCF contains certain covenants, including certain limitations on incurring liens and indebtedness and maintenance of certain financial ratios, including the requirement to maintain compliance with a net debt to EBITDA ratio, which becomes more restrictive over time. The net debt to EBITDA ratio limit was 5.00x through the fourth quarter of 2021, gradually declines to 4.50x in the first and second quarters of 2022, 4.00x in the third and fourth quarters of 2022, and will decline to 3.50x in the first quarter of 2023.

The RCF can be used for general corporate purposes, including repaying existing debt. As of December 31, 2021 and as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, no amounts were outstanding under the RCF.

Under specified circumstances, including non-compliance with any of the covenants described above and the unavailability of any waiver, amendment or other modification thereto, we will not be able to borrow under the RCF. Additionally, violations of the covenants, under the above-mentioned circumstances, would result in an event of default in all borrowings under the RCF and, when greater than a specified threshold amount as set forth in each series of senior notes and sustainability-linked senior notes is outstanding, could lead to an event of default under our senior notes and sustainability-linked senior notes, due to cross acceleration provisions.

Based on current and forecasted results, we expect that we will not exceed the financial covenant thresholds set forth in the RCF within one year from the date these financial statements are issued. Due to the fact that our

 

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cash flow generation and EBITDA vary between quarters, there is a possibility that we will not be compliant with our financial covenants during a specific period and could temporarily be unable to draw upon the RCF. If this were to occur, we expect to continue to have sufficient cash resources to support our debt service payments and all other financial obligations within one year from the date that these financial statements are issued without drawing upon the RCF. We continually evaluate our expected compliance with the covenants described above, and intend, if needed, to proactively renegotiate and amend such covenants.

As of December 31, 2021, our debt was $23,043 million, compared to $25,919 million as of December 31, 2020. This decrease was mainly due to $4,008 million repurchased upon consummation of a cash tender offer, $3,167 million senior notes repaid at maturity and $710 million of exchange rate fluctuations, partially offset by $4,973 million of issued sustainability-linked senior notes net of issuance costs.

On February 1, 2021, $491 million of our 0.25% convertible senior debentures, due 2026 were redeemed by holders.

In July 2021, we repaid $1,475 million of our 2.2% senior notes at maturity.

In November 2021, we completed debt issuances for an aggregate principal amount of $5,013 million, comprised of 1,500 million euro principal amount of 4.38% sustainability-linked senior notes due in 2030, 1,100 million euro principal amount of 3.75% sustainability-linked senior notes due in 2027, $1,000 million principal amount of 4.75% sustainability-linked senior notes due in 2027 and $1,000 million principal amount of 5.13% sustainability-linked senior notes due in 2029.

In November 2021, we completed a cash tender offer, which resulted in debt reduction of: $4,008 million from our 1.13% 1,500 million euro senior notes due in October 2024, 1.25% 1,300 million euro senior notes due in March 2023, 3.25% 700 million euro senior notes due in April 2022, 2.8% $3,000 million senior notes due in July 2023 and 2.95% $1,300 million senior notes due in December 2022.

In November 2021, we repaid $613 million and $588 million of our 3.65% senior notes at maturity.

During 2021, we borrowed up to $500 million under our RCF, which was fully repaid before year end. As of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, no amounts were outstanding under the RCF.

Our debt as of December 31, 2021 was effectively denominated in the following currencies: 60% in U.S. dollars, 37% in euros and 3% in Swiss francs.

The portion of total debt classified as short-term as of December 31, 2021 was 6%, compared to 12% as of December 31, 2020, mainly due to repayment of debt, partially offset by a reclassification of upcoming maturities in 2022.

Our financial leverage was 67% as of December 31, 2021, compared to 70% as of December 31, 2020.

Our average debt maturity was approximately 6.4 years as of December 31, 2021, compared to 5.8 years as of December 31, 2020.

For further information, see note 9 to our consolidated financial statements.

In March 2020, we repaid our $700 million 2.25% senior notes at maturity.

 

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In July 2020, we repaid our €1,010 million 0.375% senior notes at maturity.

During 2020 we borrowed up to €270 million from our RCF, which was fully repaid before 2020 year end.

Total equity was $11,244 million as of December 31, 2021, compared to $11,061 million as of December 31, 2020. This increase was mainly due to a net income of $456 million, $119 million stock-based compensation expenses and $39 million in unrealized profit associated with hedging activities, partially offset by a negative impact of $462 million from exchange rate fluctuations.

Exchange rate fluctuations affected our balance sheet, as approximately 50% of our net assets (including both non-monetary and monetary assets) were in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. When compared to December 31, 2020, changes in currency rates had a negative impact of $462 million on our equity as of December 31, 2021, mainly due to the change in value against the U.S. dollar of: the Chilean peso by 5%, the Peruvian nuevo sol by 3%, the Bulgarian lev by 3%, the Japanese yen by 3%, the Polish zloty by 2%, the Russian ruble by 2% and the euro by 2%. All comparisons are on a year-end to year-end basis.

We seek to continually improve the efficiency of our working capital management. From time to time, as part of our cash management activities, we may make decisions in our commercial and supply chain activities which may drive an acceleration of receivable payments from customers or deceleration of payments to vendors, having the effect of increasing or decreasing cash from operations in an individual period. Such decisions had no material impact on our 2021 operating cash flow measurement, but may impact quarter-to-quarter results.

Cash flow generated from operating activities in 2021 was $798 million, compared to $1,216 million in 2020. This decrease was mainly due to lower profit in our North America segment during 2021.

During 2021, we generated free cash flow of $2,196 million, which we define as comprising: $798 million in cash flow generated from operating activities, $1,648 million in beneficial interest collected in exchange for securitized accounts receivables and $311 million in proceeds from divestitures of businesses and other assets, partially offset by $562 million in cash used for capital investments. During 2020, we generated free cash flow of $2,110 million, comprised of $1,216 million in cash flow generated from operating activities $1,405 million in beneficial interest collected in exchange for securitized accounts receivables and $67 million in proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets, partially offset by $578 million in cash used for capital investments. The increase in 2021 resulted mainly from higher cash generated from divestitures of businesses and other assets, partially offset by lower cash flow generated from operating activities.

We have not paid dividends on our ordinary shares or ADSs since December 2017.

In addition to financing obligations under short-term debt and long-term senior notes and loans, debentures and convertible debentures, our major contractual obligations and commercial commitments include royalty payments, contingent payments pursuant to acquisition agreements and participation in joint ventures associated with R&D activities.

In October 2021, Teva announced a license agreement with MODAG GmbH (“Modag”), that will provide Teva an exclusive global license to develop, manufacture and commercialize Modag’s lead compound

 

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(anle138b) and a related compound (sery433). Anle138b was initially developed for the treatment of Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) and Parkinson’s disease, and has the potential to be applied to other treatments for neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease. A phase 1b clinical trial is currently being completed. In the fourth quarter of 2021, after obtaining required approval, Teva made an upfront payment of $10 million that was recorded as R&D expense. Modag may be eligible for future development milestone payments, totaling an aggregate amount of up to $70 million, as well as future commercial milestones and royalties.

In August 2020, Teva entered into an agreement with biopharmaceutical company Alvotech for the exclusive commercialization in the U.S. of five biosimilar product candidates. The initial pipeline for this collaboration contains biosimilar candidates addressing multiple therapeutic areas, including a proposed biosimilar to Humira. Under this agreement, Alvotech is responsible for the development, registration and supply of the biosimilar product candidates and Teva will exclusively commercialize the products in the United States. Teva made an upfront payment in the third quarter of 2020 and additional upfront and milestone payments in the second quarter of 2021 that were recorded as R&D expenses. Additional development and commercial milestone payments of up to $455 million, as well as royalty payments, may be payable by Teva over the next few years. Teva and Alvotech will share profit from the commercialization of these biosimilars. In March 2021, Abbvie sued Alvotech for allegedly misappropriating confidential information relating to Humira. In October 2021, the claim was dismissed for lack of jurisdiction. Abbvie has appealed this decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals. In addition, there is pending patent litigation between Abbvie and Alvotech related to Alvotech’s proposed biosimilar to Humira. In December 2021, Abbvie also filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission (“ITC”) against both Alvotech and Teva seeking to prevent Teva and Alvotech from importing Alvotech’s proposed biosimilar to Humira into the United States. On January 26, 2022, the ITC issued a decision to initiate an investigation into Alvotech’s proposed biosimilar product.

In October 2016, Teva and Celltrion, Inc. (“Celltrion”) entered into a collaborative agreement to commercialize Truxima and Herzuma, two biosimilar products for the U.S. and Canadian markets. Teva paid Celltrion $160 million, of which Teva received an aggregate credit of $60 million as of March 31, 2021. Teva and Celltrion share the profit from the commercialization of these products. These two products, Truxima and Herzuma, were approved by the FDA in November and December 2018, respectively, and were launched in the United States in November 2019 and March 2020, respectively. No additional milestone payments are expected.

In September 2016, Teva and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Regeneron”) entered into a collaborative agreement to develop and commercialize Regeneron’s pain medication product, fasinumab. Teva and Regeneron share in the global commercial rights to this product (excluding Japan, Korea and nine other Asian countries), as well as ongoing associated R&D costs of approximately $1 billion. Teva made an upfront payment of $250 million to Regeneron in the third quarter of 2016 and additional payments for achievement of development milestones in an aggregate amount of $120 million were paid during 2017 and 2018. The agreement stipulates additional development and commercial milestone payments of up to $2,230 million, as well as future royalties. Currently, all non-essential activities and related expenditures for fasinumab have been put on hold. Next steps will be assessed together with Regeneron, with the intention of discussing data with the FDA.

In November 2013, Teva entered into an agreement with MedinCell for the development and commercialization of multiple long-acting injectable products. The lead product candidate selected was risperidone LAI (TV-46000) suspension for subcutaneous use for the treatment of schizophrenia. In August 2021, the FDA accepted the NDA for risperidone LAI, based on phase 3 data from two pivotal studies. Teva leads the clinical development and regulatory process and is responsible for commercialization of this product candidate. MedinCell may be eligible for development milestones, and future commercial milestones of up to $112 million in respect of risperidone LAI. Teva will also pay MedinCell royalties based on net sales.

We are committed to pay royalties to owners of know-how, partners in alliances and certain other arrangements, and to parties that financed R&D at a wide range of rates as a percentage of sales of certain

 

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products, as defined in the agreements. In some cases, the royalty period is not defined; in other cases, royalties will be paid over various periods not exceeding 20 years.

In connection with certain development, supply and marketing, and research and collaboration or services agreements, we are required to indemnify, in unspecified amounts, the parties to such agreements against third-party claims relating to (i) infringement or violation of intellectual property or other rights of such third party; or (ii) damages to users of the related products. Except as described in our financial statements, we are not aware of any material pending action that may result in the counterparties to these agreements claiming such indemnification.

The following table summarizes our material contractual obligations and commitments as of December 31, 2021:

 

 

The total gross amount of unrecognized tax benefits for uncertain tax positions was $672 million at December 31, 2021. Payment of these obligations would result from settlements with tax authorities. Due to the difficulty in determining the timing and magnitude of settlements, these obligations are not included in the table above. Correspondingly, it is difficult to ascertain whether we will pay any significant amount related to these obligations within the next year.

We have committed to make potential future milestone payments to third parties under various agreements. These payments are contingent upon the occurrence of certain future events and, given the nature of these events, it is unclear when, if ever, we may be required to pay such amounts. As of December 31, 2021, if all development milestones and targets, for compounds in phase 2 and in more advanced stages of development, are achieved, the total contingent payments could reach an aggregate amount of up to $121 million. Additional contingent payments are owed upon achievement of product approval or launch milestones.

We have committed to pay royalties to owners of know-how, partners in alliances and other certain arrangements and to parties that financed research and development, at a wide range of rates as a percentage of sales or of the gross margin of certain products, as defined in the underlying agreements.

Due to the uncertainty of the timing of these payments, these amounts, and the amounts described in the previous paragraph, are not included in the table above.

Except for securitization transactions, which are disclosed in note 10 f to our consolidated financial statements, we do not have any material off-balance sheet arrangements.

 

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We utilize certain non-GAAP financial measures to evaluate performance, in conjunction with other performance metrics. The following are examples of how we utilize the non-GAAP measures:

 

 

 

Non-GAAP financial measures have no standardized meaning and accordingly have limitations in their usefulness to investors. We provide such non-GAAP data because management believes that such data provide useful information to investors. However, investors are cautioned that, unlike financial measures prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, non-GAAP measures may not be comparable with the calculation of similar measures for other companies. These non-GAAP financial measures are presented solely to permit investors to more fully understand how management assesses our performance. The limitations of using non-GAAP financial measures as performance measures are that they provide a view of our results of operations without including all events during a period and may not provide a comparable view of our performance to other companies in the pharmaceutical industry.

In arriving at our non-GAAP presentation, we exclude items that either have a non-recurring impact on the income statement or which, in the judgment of our management, are items that, either as a result of their nature or size, could, were they not singled out, potentially cause investors to extrapolate future performance from an improper base. In addition, we also exclude equity compensation expenses to facilitate a better understanding of our financial results, since we believe that such exclusion is important for understanding the trends in our financial results and that these expenses do not affect our business operations. While not all inclusive, examples of these items include:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The following tables present supplemental non-GAAP data, in U.S. dollars, which we believe facilitates an understanding of the factors affecting our business. In these tables, we exclude the following amounts: